Jenna Logan Poet Rhyme

The Flint That Ignited My Fire

Each night lurid visions danced before me in the dark
staring with eyes of an eagle, sharp beak of a hawk.
I woke, and in the mirror, my face was white as chalk,
screaming with the brazen voice of a raven's squawk.

It seems I'd been struck with some cursed malediction.
That's what a shrink said, "It's an abnormal infliction.
I'd like to observe you for a time, under constriction
and also suggest you might pray for a benediction."

Did he believe I was sick enough for extreme unction?
Or standing at the crossroad of a mental malfunction?
Anger was building, and I had the wild compunction
to run away before he ordered a restraining injunction.

He ran after me shouting, "I'm afraid you're delirious!"
I laughed out loud and shouted back, "Are you serious?
You won't lock me up! Stop acting so damned imperious."
Then voices started whispering. It was quite mysterious.

                    DELIRIOUS?  NO, NOT ME!!!
                       Go away and let me be!

I heard them rant all day and night, in shadowed halls,
snarling voices calling my name from within the walls.
In dreams they cried out for me in deep guttural calls
I cowered in a corner each time I heard their footfalls.

What trick were they using to infuse me with insanity?
They moved much too close, robbing me of my vanity
I cursed them with vile words of unleashed profanity
then thought, is this a case of psychotic inhumanity?

Anger became the flint to ignite the flames of my fire
Each whisper became a thorn, condemning me a liar.
On and on they chanted, like evil demons in a choir
as the walls of my deep abyss rose higher and higher.

The beasts never tear my flesh; they claw at my soul.
I'm suffering with emotional stress and losing control.
There's no virtue left inside of me that I can still extol.
I'm being swallowed into cryptic depths of a sinkhole.

               DELIRIOUS? Is it possible I may be?
                     Fiendish laughter vexes me.




August 9th, 2020
N-A Rerun 10 Contest
Sponsor: John Hamilton
Original Post Date: July 24th, 2020
Written for the Delirium Contest

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Sigrid Ermine August 14, 2020 at 9:43 PM Exciting construction of mind terror. Really like this poem. You tell the point of view lucidly. Well deserved Win on a tough judge, talented winners' list. Jenna Logan September 15, 2020 at 11:29 AM Your comments are always generous. Thank you, Sigrid.

Sam Kauffman August 14, 2020 at 9:21 PM Dark and terrifying images, Jenna. So well written putting us into that cycle of questions! Congratulations on your winning placement, Jenna! Jenna Logan September 15, 2020 at 11:29 AM Thanks, Sam. I think I frightened myself.

John Watt August 14, 2020 at 8:44 PM Glad to see my winning prediction (finally) come true, Jenna. A scintillating dark write. Congrats ~ John Jenna Logan September 15, 2020 at 11:28 AM You can predict for me any time, John.

John Hamilton August 14, 2020 at 11:07 AM Nice write Jenna for some reason I don't know this one never jumped out at me, but knowing now it's your write I feel bad for not placing it higher, at least no N/A this time! Jenna Logan August 14, 2020 at 11:36 AM It must be the darkness of the subject matter. I haven't been in PS long enough to have a lot of N/As from which to choose, but I wanted to enter your contest. Don't feel bad, John. Thank you for the acknowledgement and for being so kind about it. It's ok.

John Watt July 24, 2020 at 8:57 PM Jenna, this is deliriously dark and poetically perfect! Love all your great rhymes and the places you explore with your great imagination. Looks like a winner to me ~ John Jenna Logan July 25, 2020 at 11:46 AM Thanks an awful lot for your kind thoughts, John.

Jan Allison July 24, 2020 at 3:43 PM I read this earlier Jenna and found the deep intense imagery freaked me out a bit and had to come back a second time to comment, you certainly dug deep to write this one! Good luck in the contest:-) hugs Jan xx Jenna Logan July 24, 2020 at 3:53 PM I am so sorry, Jan, but applaud your bravery to read it again. It is freaky. lol

John Gondolf July 24, 2020 at 10:22 AM Wow, you have raised the bar, girl! love the rhymes you have used. "Extreme Unction" I haven't heard this term since the nuns taught me in grade school. Nicely penned, Jenna, poetry at it's best. This should do well in the contest. Hugs, John Jenna Logan July 24, 2020 at 11:08 AM Thank you, John. Rhymezone pointed the way to 'unction' and it was a lead in to being extreme. We'll see how the contest turns out, but I appreciate your thoughts.

Mark Koplin July 24, 2020 at 8:51 AM I think that this is fantastic! Very nice flow and sure to be a winner. Great job Jenna! Jenna Logan July 24, 2020 at 9:23 AM Oh, I'm pleased to read your thoughts, Mark. It's pretty chilling. Thank you very much.

Tom Cunningham July 24, 2020 at 8:48 AM This is brilliant Jenna, deep and dark, I had images of one of those asylums you see in old horror movies. Good luck in the contest and enjoy your weekend Tom Jenna Logan July 24, 2020 at 9:22 AM I was afraid it might be a bit too dark, Tom, so I'm really glad you braved the read and left a comment. I know it's a strange write, but I swear I don't really hear vexing voices. :)