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Gemini
Antidote to evil is the peace in sleep
that comes when all hope of it is gone.
That resolution of night into light,
the bawdy eye of a grackle
in its ungainly dull body
glittering
perpetuation.
Surrender to destruction
makes impermanence eternal.
Life many formed and changeful
mounts a fluid resistance,
saying the yes now that will later be no.
You like a burning under the moon,
freezing the sun,
a bonfire burned down
to banked coals of life,
translucent in the fitful frost of death.
Servant tool or instrument of neither,
Servant tool or instrument of neither,
only the twinned image of a dual contradiction.
September 1988,
Revised 2010~2012
Revised 2010~2012
posted for real toads
OpenLinkMonday
Had another repost up, but after seeing the Gemini theme at real toads, decided to go with this one in honor of all my Gemini cohorts there.
I love "bawdy eye of a grackle." Gorgeous piece, Hedge!
ReplyDeleteAntidote to evil is the peace in sleep
ReplyDeletethat comes when all hope of it is gone....when i first read this my initial thought was...the peace that comes when you realize you have no control over that evil or its vanquishing and you allow that stress to not wear you down...i may be off there, but...
Surrender to destruction
makes impermanence eternal...is a cool line as well and i see truth in that...
the yes now that will be a no later...we def all have choices and it is nice when we have the freedom to change them...
and i like the play of twinned and dual in the last line...
well played hedge. smiles.
that first stanza distils eternal wisdom of permanent value.so many beautiful lines.wonderfully done.
ReplyDelete..Woohoo! Twinned image of a dual contradiction! And I loved the contrast of the burning under moon and freezing under sun. This is a sumptuous feast of words and imagery, Hedge. I love it.
ReplyDeletewow you always know how to hook me in with just a few lines
ReplyDeleteYou've done something really cool here...I like it!
ReplyDelete'the resolution of night to light'... so good.
ReplyDeletemy affinity for contradiction and paradox draws me in here like moths and hot things.
such a collection of imagery. who doesn't like a burning under the moon?
The parallels and opposites - eternal impermanences, celestial bodies that wax and wane hot and cold - are the most effective features of this poem, evoking that feeling of duality that underscores the theme.
ReplyDeletebeauty!
ReplyDeletegrackles i like; starlings, not at all...
I love the grackle's bawdy eye......great writing, Hedge.
ReplyDeleteYour first two lines knock it out of the park, and the rest is simply fanfare!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2012/05/21/take-action/
I liked that whole second stanza. The bawdy grackle is classic.
ReplyDeleteI am not Gemini, so why does this sound like me? No really, I just looked over my shoulder.
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome:
ReplyDelete"glittering perpetuation"
"Surrender to destruction makes impermanence eternal"
"mounts a fluid resistance, saying the yes now that will later be no"
"only the twinned image of a dual contradiction"
I feel like I need to write this stuff down to think on while I dream. Gorgeous and thought-provoking, particularly the "surrender" line. Geminis sound scary.
Must admit had to look up 'grackle" ;)
ReplyDeleteI am a Gemini, so, though I loved the Grackle eye, I have to say all the oxymorons of the last couple of stanzas caught my own beady eye. k.
ReplyDeletewhoosh, love this. i do like a burning under the moon. signed, A Gemini :)
ReplyDelete