Modern Shaman

Charcoal tar and gold brown tobacco
are both packed into a paper stick pressed
firm and trusting to the lips of a modern shaman
inhaling a cloud of harsh, strong, bold, and bitter barbs
that caress the tongue and prick and stick to pink organ flesh.

Disorientating nicotine is potentate in his scheme
it's purpose similar to black coffee; smooth and polished
blended beans for those late nights and early mornings.

His baked euphoria is living a constant maximum dosed out
and measured into separate jars of aromatic herbs.
Some for brewing, some for burning
each action acting in different ways to bring forth the contained mystic
hidden, shackled, held bare within his copper frame
conducting the currents of living, learning, thriving emotion
and like alchemy the chemistry
is solid.

He is the sum of all his parts.
He is the sum of all his senses.

Jolts, bolts, and shudders are
controlled through clever use of contraband
to establish simultaneous fluidity of thought and action;
Thereby soothing the soul and softening the daily struggle;
bluntly unnatural to every one of us
simple lovers of peace and passionate emotion.

He chases the dragon
He chases experience
through vistas both brief, and limited in scope,
to gain a sense of things
Great.

He is rounded at the corners
He is the sum of curved edges
smoothed and polished
(like coffee beans) in composition
balanced
by talented influence.

He is the stone worn strong
by paving a path where none is present.
He is the sword forged strong
through temper and tradesmen excellence.

He is man standing tall against the landscape
held up as a bastion of collected worth,
with marbled walls all round in a carved statue of constructed rock
aged fine by the time and the wind of the element opposition.
He separates the skyline,
the layline,
the landscape,
and delegates the elevation of the land beneath his feet.

He moves, builds, crafts, and dictates
(as the spider to the fly)
to bring his titan pen to the white page;
empty and inviting.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010



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Date: 7/20/2010 5:55:00 AM
I would like to welcome you to PoetrySoup James. Wishing you the best in your writing endeavors. If you have questions please feel free to ask anyone here. We are all willing to help and if we don't know the answer we will find someone who does. Love, Carol
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Date: 7/19/2010 6:53:00 PM
Welcome to p.s,you're gonna enjoy it here. .I enjoyed reading you!Celene!
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Date: 7/19/2010 5:58:00 PM
far out piece!
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Date: 7/19/2010 2:49:00 PM
Welcome to Poetry Soup Family.. so enjoyed reading your creative write tonight.. with luv..
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Date: 7/19/2010 2:16:00 PM
I really like a lot of the imagery in this poem. Nice write and welcome to Poetry Soup!
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