Daniel Henry Rodgers Poet Lyric

Notes About The Poem

"What returns is never what departed."
- Poet

 

===============

 

Lexical Resurrection

In sleepy 
synaptic 
catacombs
theorems dream beneath calcified floors
neurons stretch   filaments of light
paleontologists of lost certainty
tracing the memory of what 
once 
coruscated
alive

each recovered syllable rises in luminosity
trailing sediment from older visions
when knowing shifted
steering truth by 
extinguished 
stars
their light arriving as memory does
late and changed
waves breaking against my palms

sometimes a word returns 
with 
a 
quiver
a neuron long faded suddenly firing
unmasking me

language has a pulse too
memory susurrates in its syllables
tissue pressed beneath the skin

a word returns and with it 
a face
already 
fading

In dementia's neural ossuaries
they slowly resurface
refracted through time's 
fossilized 
strata
what returns exceeds what departed
yet what returns also slices us
so softly
with its incompleteness
a small lance lodged behind 
ribs and bone

each restoration births knowing
part excavation part genesis
claimed by no century
reshaping me in return
moth-wings brushing my cheek

We become the archaeology of ourselves

hands cupping reverberations
charting the contours of our hearts
hearing again in the filamented dark
the pulse of neurons stretching
filaments of light

spelling the names 
we thought 
we'd lost

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Brandy Nicole October 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM Dearest Daniel, the image you have chosen is a little eerie. It helps create the mood within. Very interesting thought here: ' language has a pulse too, memory susurrates in its syllables. ' In many ways, this makes sense. This is deep, my dear friend. So many thoughts to ponder. Hugs and Autumn blessings to you, my sweet friend. ~ Brandy Daniel Henry Rodgers October 16, 2025 at 6:14 AM Dear Brandy, I have had several clients who are struggling with memories, recall, and knowing that it will never get better. I watched the sadness of my mother-in-law decline with alzheimers's disease, but it is incredible that certain things would trigger a memory for her. I also thought about how sometimes something would happen to me, and a long-forgotten memory pops up with many details. Knowing how the brain stores memory is fascinating. Thank you for your lovely visit. Autumn Blessings, Dear Brandy, Daniel

Paula Goldsmith October 14, 2025 at 11:03 AM WOW!!! Your "Lexical Resurrection" is a powerful write/quote. What a great picture you have here. FAV for me... Have a blessed day writing away.............. Daniel Henry Rodgers October 15, 2025 at 8:46 AM Dear Paula, Thank you, my friend, for visiting my turning churning mind. LOL! Autumn Blessings, Dear Paula, Daniel