Fool's Box
From its box of cloud
the lightning howled
to find the trap
of the fool's grey walls,
crack'd them with a fitful fire,
rocked the cradle hard and higher.
Wild, wild, it played within
the morephemes of his box of skin;
burning hot as rain was cold,
too bright to lose, too quick to hold;
til, sun-collapsed and blue air-bled,
it left him with a pen instead.
~April 2017
for Brendan's Fools
(a tongue in cheek take for the theme of April's 30/30)
Images: Untitled, © Zdizlaw Beksinski Fair use via wikiart.org
This is s compelling, Joy. What I always love about your poetry is that every line must be pondered and the composition is part of the art. The box of cloud creates a unique image, my eye wanted to follow the path of the lightning strike to see where it would lead.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly 'instead', I think – rather, transformed into. Wonderful words! And wonderful pictures too – are they yours?
ReplyDeleteImage credits are always at the bottom of the post. These are by Zdzisław Beksiński a Polish surrealist.
DeleteWhat I felt the most of how much a pen can be a tool to break the bonds... to journey... excellent word choices, and perfect match to the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI love the box of cloud and the wild, wild.........
ReplyDeleteWonderful conceit here, wand of lightning igniting a fool's box-kite, rising as inspiration and dissipating into song. So it begins. A lovely, lively, most excellent spell.
ReplyDeleteNice sound to the meter and rhyme. I liked the build up with lightning breaking walls and rocking the cradle but ending with that pen.
ReplyDeleteAn intricate dance from the sword to the pen bringing into play the Ace of Wands and The Fool.Delightfully created.
ReplyDeleteAs you might suspect, I'm completely taken by "the morephemes of his box of skin". The images that come to mind... and the way the word "morphemes" plays with them. Wow.
ReplyDeleteWhat a way to begin April. From an artist's pen.
ReplyDeleteI know you've travelled down to the shores to see us off. Me, I'll be wading in ... the shallows. Doubtful I'll get to more than a few, but will see how far that lightning strike will send me, fool that I am.
ReplyDeleteAnd you made me grin in that final verse ~
Glad for the grin, and I don't know if I will make the whole voyage, but I am feeling like it might be good to try, fool that *I* am. ;_)
DeleteOh that ending made me laugh delightedly, and with a certain cruel edge that we aged crones like to include. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAhhh.... so use that pen for good :)
ReplyDelete"box of cloud" such a unique phrase. Love your ending.
ReplyDelete