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Notes About The Poem

Purpose or Obliteration

Daniel Henry Rodgers

 

"Between illumination and silence exists a fragile geometry
of consciousness where light is both revelation and
prison and the soul flickers like an unfinished thought." – Poet

 

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Purpose or Obliteration

I dreamed I was inside a bulb—
a cathedral of filament and glass—
not dead
not born…..
but shumming**.

Glass walls curved like time
sealed but translucent

my fingers curled around voltage
like a secret
God was transcending.

The socket hummed a lullaby
of static.

Every breath of mine made sparks
the air electric
with grief
and longing.

I saw myself outside the bulb
in a room wallpapered with eyes—
each iris twitching
like a seismograph.

They watched
as I shimmered like an angel
in a jar of fire

as if I were proof
of something
too holy
or too hideous
to name.

The room beyond
glistened with wallpapered surveillance—
each gaze a blink
each blink
a test of identity
a hymn of entropy
and wonder.

I touched the glass—
cool as frozen memory
thin as a promise—

and the world on the other side
shuddered
like a dream woken
too soon

My thoughts turned tungsten—
spiraled
stubborn
resisting
the spark of enlightenment
or extinction

I spoke
and the words bent back
like boomerangs
buzzing
with static regret

A child approached
barefoot
real
impossibly tender…..

She looked like someone
I might have loved
if time had taken pity.

She placed her palm on the bulb—
her skin against my sorrow
the warmth of it
startling
as mercy
a forgiveness.

“Why are you in there?”
she asked
or perhaps
thought—
her voice the color
of candlelight.

I tried to answer
but my vocal cords was hardwired
my tongue
a fuse

My words came back
distorted
looped
charred

as if language
were combustible.

For a moment
I flickered
between purpose
and obliteration

Then
the ceiling cracked open
like a wound

and light poured down—
not to reveal
like revelation
like judgment—
to burn away
the questions

And I understood—
not everything illuminated
is meant to be seen

not all vision
is freedom…..

Some truths
are meant to flicker
fragile and holy
inside the bulb of the soul

unspoken
unchosen
alive.

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**Shumming: Shimmering Humming

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Sara Etgen-Baker Date: 6/20/2025 2:15:00 PM your poem read like a story and reminded a bit of Kafka's book, Metamorphosis. The use of the light bulb was genius. I especially liked these lines: Some truths are meant to flicker fragile and holy inside the bulb of the soul The symbolism is magnificent. yellow rose Login to Reply

Valsa George Date: 6/11/2025 10:32:00 PM Your quote and your poem are equally poetic and deal with the complexities of one's inner life and self. Even the image of a figure within the bulb on spread wings illumined and burning simultaneously speaks of the dualities of searing in pain and being blazoned by enlightenment. I wonder how one can get such an image so handy to go with your thoughts or is it a poem you wrote to suit the image you got? Mind often passes through opposing states of grief and longing, enlightenment and extinction, purpose and obliteration. Not everything is clear as everything is not illuminated. Perhaps they are meant just to flicker. "She placed her palm on the bulb— her skin against my sorrow the warmth of it startling as mercy a forgiveness." Is this child you mention here closely associated with your personal life? "She looked like someone I might have loved if time had taken pity." these lines confirm my doubt. Dear Daniel, you are simply amazing. Login to Reply

Andrea Dietrich Date: 5/16/2025 11:29:00 PM Wow such a profound poem with so many seemingly ironic phrases and yet it all fits! I think this is when you write best, looking at the world with such wisdom Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/28/2025 4:40:00 PM Dearest Andrea, Your words truly warmed my heart and thank you! I’m so glad the irony and layers came through for you. There’s something about wrestling with contradictions that always brings out a deeper truth, doesn’t it? Your recognition means the world to me. I’m grateful for your wisdom, your friendship, and your keen eye that sees beyond the surface. With gratitude and affection, Daniel

Duke Beaufort Date: 5/15/2025 12:03:00 PM Daniel, Thinking about what you wrote. I'm pondering where thoughts go and how are they processed. Our minds are remarkable entities and process things in such amazing ways. There are indeed mysteries such as where did all this matter come from? Somethings we get to experience and will never have answers. In our minds as well, information and sensation results in all kinds of changes which we have no control over and no way of understanding all the intricacies of the filing system. Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/28/2025 4:39:00 PM Hello Duke, Your reflection opened a new doorway in my own thinking—how mysterious and wondrous our minds truly are. I love how you embraced the mystery of thoughts and the unseen ways they shape us. Your thoughtful pondering speaks that sometimes the questions are as profound as the answers we seek. Thank you for sharing your insight and curiosity it’s a gift. With deep appreciation, Daniel

Ghairo Daniels Date: 5/14/2025 11:05:00 PM An illuminating write, lightly written of a mystical subject. Agreed > some truths are so unbearable, only the soul’s bulb can hold it. ThkU 4 expressing it this way. Enjoyed it today as an autumn read down here. Blessings. Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/28/2025 4:36:00 PM Dearest Ghairo, Thank you for your light-filled words and for reading with such a gentle, soulful lens. I love that the piece found you in your autumn and what a perfect season for quiet truths. Your thought about the soul’s bulb holding the unbearable really is insightful. I’m grateful for your presence, your insight, and your blessings. Sending warm thanks across the seasons. Blessings, Daniel

David Crandall Date: 5/13/2025 5:56:00 PM A fascinating and captivating poem, Daniel, and a great personification or metaphor. "why are you in there?" " her voice the color of candlelight" - beautiful Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/14/2025 10:28:00 AM Hello David, Your kind words landed with such grace and a big thank you, my friend. It means a lot coming from you, someone who understands how language can hold both mystery and meaning in a single line. I deeply appreciate your presence, not just as a reader, but as a true friend who sees beneath the surface. Spring Blessings, My Friend, Daniel

Hilda Greenhough Date: 5/13/2025 2:52:00 PM This is a wonderful fantasy, sci-fi, biblical, philosophical, cross-over of many genre that spun me into an alternate reality. The personification of electricity thrilled me. I give it two thumbs up and a toe. Fav Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/14/2025 9:54:00 AM Dear Hilda, You made me laugh out loud and tear up a little for such a perfect mix. Your comment was a total joy to receive. “Two thumbs up and a toe”? I’m keeping that forever! Thank you for being such an imaginative, encouraging, big-hearted friend. Your words felt like a charge straight to the heart. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Kim Rodrigues Date: 5/13/2025 1:07:00 PM As always, an interesting write. Your grief enters this poem, in catharsis, to work out what is hard to understand, but never will this side of heaven. Love the light bulb imagery, the untouchable human…the socket humming like a lullaby. Last six lines are touching! God bless you, dear friend! Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/14/2025 9:52:00 AM Dear Kim, Your words touched me more than you know. Thank you for reading my poem so thoughtfully and for letting me feel seen in that space where grief and language meet but never quite resolve. You're exactly right that there are things we won't fully understand on this side of heaven. But still, we write… hoping to inch closer to something holy in the ache. Kim, your heart always shines through. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

I Am Anaya Date: 5/13/2025 10:53:00 AM I would have left out the definition, Daniel. lol. Oh on the other hand this is brilliant work. There are so many interpretations of purgatory, limbo, bardos, stages between death and rebirth. " unspoken unchosen alive." I keep my visions to myself--Stevie, "the spark of enlightenment or extinction" set the resounding tone, a gong! <-- good! Smiling ~ I shall fav as well Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/14/2025 9:47:00 AM Dearest Anaya, your feedback is just beautiful, and honestly, it made my day! It means so much that you connected with the explorations of those in-between states. I'm absolutely thrilled that your words perfectly capture the feeling! Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Ink Empress Date: 5/13/2025 9:57:00 AM Yes youv said it all so well dear daniel, what an intriguing soulful and spiritually awakening journey youv taken me on through such poetic eloquence! I really love how youv described the dream and how sometimes i felt like we need to disconnect and look from the outside~ within, to grasp inner light and truth thet sparkles in such a gentle and delicate manner, if only we listen to our heart and inner thoughts! Brilliant metaphors and wordplay! I also loved “ her voice the color of candlelight.” Wow a fave this is! Sending you light always Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/14/2025 9:43:00 AM Dearest Empress, Wow. Just wow. Your words about my poem went straight to my heart, and honestly, they’ve left me feeling so incredibly seen and understood. Thank you, from the very depths of my being, for taking the time to not only read it but to connect with it in such a caring way. Honestly, Empress, your feedback is more than just comments on a poem, it’s a reflection of the beautiful, insightful, and deeply spiritual soul you are. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Besma Riabi Dziri Date: 5/13/2025 4:39:00 AM The more we know, the deeper we descend.. the higher we ascend.. the farther we are from the grounded bonds.. the tougher to be understood and one might end in a world of their very language and code.. Dear Daniel, you have captured the essence of your insightful message into these two words of volumes, "Revelation and Prison" All that we attain of understanding in whatever field is for us a revelation and I humbly think if it is not grasped by those we are connected to and rather rejected our light and insight become our very prison.. I truly enjoy so much your poetry! A poetry that awakens and enlightens the soul! Your poetry is of unique taste.. we tend to read over and over rejoicing a new feel and knowledge! A treat to read you! God bless you. My deepest regards and blessings. Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:49:00 AM Dear Besma, Your words are a gift-thank you for reading so deeply and for reflecting with such insight and generosity. I was moved by how you described the paradox of knowledge and how each revelation can lift us higher, yet also carry us further from the grounding bonds of shared understanding. Thank you for your blessings, your encouragement, and your friendship. Your thoughtful reading brings my words to life in ways I could never do alone. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Anne Winter Date: 5/12/2025 7:34:00 PM Dearest Daniel, this is a very deep poem. Some questions are meant to be unanswered. Not all dreams are meant to be true. I still can't interpret the full meaning, this poem is deeply philosophical and brilliant, exploring the complexities of the inner world. It certainly made me think deep. We ( humans) have dreams and potential but then there is existentialism. Incredibly written, my dear friend. With love and respect always, Anne Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:46:00 AM Dearest Anne, It’s wonderful to know the poem made you think deeply for that’s the highest compliment I could hope for. Your words remind me of the core of existentialism: our freedom to create meaning even amid uncertainty and the unknown. Your respect and love shine through every line of your note, and I feel so fortunate to share this journey of thought and feeling with you. Thank you, always, for your kindness, your wisdom, and your friendship. Spring Blessings, My Dear Anne, Daniel

Paige Hind Date: 5/12/2025 11:58:00 AM Such a deep poem, Daniel. So raw it definitely tells the truth. I love the glass bulb metaphor, and how you used it throughout. Wonderful piece. Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:44:00 AM Dear Paige, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and heartfelt words. It means a lot to hear that the poem’s rawness and truth came through so clearly to you. I’m really glad you connected with the glass bulb metaphor for I worked hard to weave it throughout because it felt like the perfect way to capture that fragile, exposed feeling. Your appreciation makes me feel like the piece found its mark, and that’s incredibly encouraging. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Paula Goldsmith Date: 5/12/2025 11:20:00 AM WOW!!! What a wonderful quote, write, story and picture you have here. Great Ending... Have a lovely day/week writing away............ Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:42:00 AM Dear Paula, WOW indeed! Your enthusiastic note absolutely made my day-thank you for your wonderful words about the quote, the writing, the story, and the picture. I hope your day and week are filled with as much creativity and joy as your message brought me. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

CayCay Jennings Date: 5/12/2025 11:20:00 AM Thank you for providing a definition of shumming. Reading it, I knew I'd need to look it up. I love the quote as much as the poem, both are deep, profound and shine with your talent. The read was so engaging that I startled when someone called my name (son), forgot where I was. Your poem took me away, like Calgon, but better ... CayCay Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:40:00 AM Dear CayCay. Your words brought the biggest smile-thank you for reading my poem with such warmth and for letting yourself get swept away. Your encouragement and your generous spirit always remind me that sharing words is about connection, and you make that connection feel effortless and real. Spring Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Sotto Poet Date: 5/12/2025 11:10:00 AM Dear Daniel, this is an exceptional poem that addresses issues of loneliness, self-awareness, and the quest for individuality within the limits of society's expectations. Your sense of being inside a light bulb seems to act as a metaphor for feeling caged and inspected. The engagement with the kid represents purity and a need for connection, yet the investigation of light and darkness implies the complexities of truth and understanding. Finally, the poem considers the essence of life, the fragility of identity, and the deep truths that stay unspoken. Not sure if my analysis is correct, but that's how I interpret it. Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/13/2025 4:37:00 AM Dear Sotto, Your note left me both moved and grateful-thank you for reading my poem with such care and openness. It means a lot that you took the time to not only absorb the words but to reflect so deeply on their layers. Honestly, your analysis is a gift, whether or not it lines up perfectly with my intentions. The beauty of poetry is in these conversations, these glimpses into each other’s minds. Thank you for reading generously, for your honesty, and for making me feel like what I wrote mattered to someone else. I’m lucky to have you as a friend and a reader. Spring Blessings, My Friend, Daniel

Tom Woody Date: 5/12/2025 7:04:00 AM Well, I read this a few times and still trying to figure it all out. Like much of your poetry it seems to be exploring existential questions of time, space, worth (or unworth), life, death, relevance. The child is an interesting metaphor. Still working on that one. Fascinating poetry Login to Reply Daniel Henry Rodgers Date: 5/12/2025 7:23:00 AM Good Morning, Tom, Thanks for being the first one to respond. It certainly is very existential and before I lay out the full meaning, I am always curious to see how others interpret lines in the poem. My hint: It is showing the complex inner world that exists before manifestation, the potential and actual transformation. (Sorry, it is a little like the Beatles writing Lucy in the Sky...) LOL! Spring Blessings, My Friend, Daniel