Venus Verticordia by Dante Gabriel Rosetti
Tonight, I'll draw my spear
& pierce your snow-veiled skin
with fire
with fever
Why are you hiding from me
Like moon last night
Blurring, dissolving quick as smoke
Time has a long memory
when the world is a silhouette grey
with ice
with sleet
Come back with your storm
& unpredictable rain
your swagger
your tempest of metal & light
I will gamble
That our kisses will return
like a fresh sword
like a flaring spell of first day of spring
Your words
will salt my bland food
spice & flavor
my music and canvas
crisp, textured with hundred nuances
Touch my body like a potter's hands
tempting
every grain & freckle
to red
I will open as white flower
with poison seeds
with savage heart
Come back to me, come back, *
penetrate me with lightening,
Bend me to your will.
We'll turn the record player on forever.
Bring me that unfaithful nape of your neck,
the blow of your stone.
Show me I haven't died,
my love, and I promise you the apple.
*Title and Last stanza by Cuban poet, Carilda Olivar Labra
Posted for: Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - We are writing to the work by Carilda Olivar Labra
Shared with Poets United - Thanks for the visit ~
Your poem is filled with the beauty of passion; the sensory imagery is perfectly realized. I always enjoy the poems you write in this style.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, so many sensual lifts in between lines of pain. I love these lines:
ReplyDelete"Touch my body like a potter's hands
tempting
every grain & freckle
to red
I will open as white flower
with poison seeds
with savage heart"
I think I am blushing~
Thank you, Grace for sharing, Carilda Olivar Labra's voice. I had not heard of her~
Wow
I am glad to read that you are blushing :-)
DeleteThis is sensuous and like you said it 'textured with hundred nuances' to the core. Love it.
Deleteyour words will salt my words/my life...
ReplyDeletelove that...bringing out the flavors, but not overpowering them....
also the touching like potters hands...nice intimacy....
I love how you go to that grey and bland to the burning and passionate.. I think to divide it up in the poles rather than let it become tepid was so apparent in that piece .. very well done.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting.
I can see how Labra enthralls your work, Grace -- dark mojo in body's "discourse," whiffs of Santeria in the intercourse, there in the deep end of the pool, the dangerous part of the woods: It's what lovers desire most and are most afraid of, fer sure. There's invocation and incantation here, Eve offering the apple with her snake hand. Witchy brew, delightful stuff. And there's a certain courage in offering it here so nakedly. Eve, as mother of creation, in such possession of herself.
ReplyDeleteHer words are bewitching & passionate ~ Thank you for the lovely comment Brendan ~
DeleteA touch can do so much, bringing forth a lot. Making things rather steamy and hot
ReplyDeleteLove your opening ...the snow-veiled skin and the words as salt...so many poignant pieces in this beautiful work, Grace! Thank you for the challenge!
ReplyDeleteHey Grace--wonderful sensual poem--I don't honestly think you need her last stanza, as you have your own thing going here! Thanks and thanks or the great challenge--I especially liked the freckles reddening! K. (http://manicddaily.wordpress.com)
ReplyDeleteThanks Karin for the suggestion on the ending ~ I will leave it for a bit but will revisit for editing further ~
DeleteYou've really captured the voice, Grace!
ReplyDeleteI feel the imploring in this poem, Grace. And time does have a long memory indeed...sometimes too long (smiles). Have a good Sunday, Grace.
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant. Especially these lines:
ReplyDeleteYour words
will salt my bland food
spice & flavor
my music and canvas
crisp, textured with hundred nuances
Loved this.
there's both in this...the intense longing and the danger that comes with it...the yearning for trust and for being seen.... the key part for me is...Show me I haven't died.... i totally get this
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and sensuous and dangerous.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful cry into the night...i believe we need an element of danger to know that we are alive..to ourselves..and others..so much tantalising imagery..rich as the first apple to fall from that tree
ReplyDeleteI found the opening brilliant, Grace. Once the snow-veiled skin is pierced fire and passion can find a way to be expressed. A very sensual poem!
ReplyDeleteso much depth... a feeling of being a bit torn
ReplyDeleteSo playful poem, with promising the prize - an apple :)....I esp. love 'Touch my body like a potter's hands' phrase - such evocative image...
ReplyDeleteThe potter's hands reference is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBut if it is one time only? Oh sadness, oh tragedy! Wonderful, Grace, it adds dangerous swords to your always passion.
ReplyDeleteWOW! This is brilliant and beautiful! Powerful stuff!
ReplyDeletecome back with your storm....
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Passionate and evocative--really a great job!
ReplyDeleteThe imagery you've evoked here is so very powerful and colorful...I especially love, "tempting every grain & freckle to red"---wow!!
ReplyDeletepassionate, sensuous, lyrical
ReplyDeleteand - yes - dangerous
namaste
jzb
Her wonderful poetry inspired an equally wonderful one of yours! (As I was saying to Bjorn, having been led to the Toads post from his poem, I really must get over there more often, and perhaps participate.)
ReplyDelete"I will open as white flower / with poison seeds / with savage heart"---i like this part a lot, Grace. There's both tenderness & strength growing in between these lines. I haven't heard of Carilda before but her works sounds so interesting. I'll search for her. Smiles.
ReplyDelete- ksm
The best invitation I could imagine, even better, Grace. Just plain lovely, it gives me shivers. If the "he" (??) didn't say yes, act yes, and take cue then "he" (??) isn't the normal "he" (??). (I think this would work same sex also, especially female.)
ReplyDeleteIt's very appropriate for a Valentine also, I would love to get one with this message. !!!
I'm probably not writing, still. My sister is in town from Iowa.
..
Such intimacy here in your words...
ReplyDelete'I will gamble
That our kisses will return
like a fresh sword
like a flaring spell of first day of spring'
Donna@LivingFromHappiness
excellent lines...Grace
ReplyDeleteI don't often think of Eve as passionate… and of course, this is also symbolism for every woman - but I like pondering both! A beautiful, evocative write! Thank your for introducing this poet - her writing is SO different from mine- I took one tiny line - but I really enjoyed reading her poetry - she seemed ahead of her time.
ReplyDeleteEve in the Garden surrounded by the many layers of love, the tempest full of passion who ultimately falls as she spears that apple to taste it's flesh. I really liked the opening as it sets the tone. The fires of passion can be dangerous and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis one is full of deep sensuality, love, and longing. Beautiful descriptions of the deep cravings that only deep love can bring.
ReplyDeleteVery strong poetic statement. Great write for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteDeep and punchy....beautiful Grace!!
ReplyDeleteVery steamy, romantic, sexy. I love how you weave this to the last stanza. Enjoyed reading this Grace.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't come back, they ain't living anymore :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful in putting good feelings interspersed with the adverse feel. It makes a balanced feel more pronounced. Wonderful lines Grace!
ReplyDeleteHank
Deeply passionately drawn, Grace. I think you made a wonderful response to her original piece.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful...I especially love "Come back with your storm & unpredictable rain
ReplyDeleteyour swagger your tempest of metal & light"
Labra is unapologetically passionate, and you stand in good company ~
ReplyDelete