Thursday, September 23, 2010

Hosea 2:14

Hosea 2:14

I   I    I
allure and lead and speak
her her her
into the desert/speak to her heart

How do I hear you
when I am so ready to speak?
I have no ears for listening
when my heart is loading up words
that will spill-a cataract-out of the tomb of my mouth.

I stuff my head with the sounds
of my own broken words
like bottleglass on a fence top
they are enough to keep all out.

Oh my heart is full to breaking
full of myself, my thoughts, my ways.
It is not a tender place but a thicket
and forked and poisonous as an adder's tongue.

And still it keeps filling,
filling until bursting--
bursting completely
with my self.
Bursting with the poison of the self. 

How can I hear you over
the chirrupping, clattering, clanking,
drumming, roaring, droning,
humming, buzzing, chiming,
ringing, three-ring circus I call myself.

[092310-2//032006-1]

5 comments:

  1. Yes. (That's all I want to say at this point -- just "yes.")

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  2. Potent poem. Bold tri-useage of "her". Liked this a lot, and can certainly relate to the sentiments expressed therein.

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  3. Dear TS,

    As always thank you. You cannot know how good it is to hear kind words, or any words, for that matter regarding this matter of writing.

    shalom,

    Steven

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  4. This is an old post, but I read back a ways. I am feeling this one intensely. It is the point where I am, and he is, and our two rings in the same circus battle for audience. At times we must be selfless. And then again, self aware. Beautiful poem.

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  5. Dear Wine and Words,

    Welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for the kind words.

    Steven

    ReplyDelete