The Imp Ostor

The Imp sat atop the dresser, unmoving,
in the corner of the room, I waited, pen in hand.
No sound did he make, nor his locus improving,
as his bloodshot eyes, my attention, they demand.

In days slipped past, he spoke in lulled timbre,
for years he abated the fears that I had,
his mind so subtle, his thoughts so limber,
but through each day my questions he forbad.

I wrote each word, every syllable, every notion,
spoken dark or tender, whether thou or thine.
He laid before me his songs of emotion
and I stole each one and made them all mine.

In his voice, I claimed, all of his treasures,
without a thought he'd discover, in time.
Yet, now he speaks with words always measured,
and burning glares that scream of my crime.
 
Does he know I've used him to privilege my psyche?
Does he know how his rhymes have impassioned my soul?
Would he care if I offered to proffer my ego,
or pay, with my heart, this immeasurable toll.

“Living In The Dark ,“  so easy he spoke this,
while together we lived each verse, he and I.
Darkness foreboding, for he, was in bliss,
but for me pure terror as his words I decry.

He laughed at my fear and smiled with derision
as my name I placed at the end with the date.
His eye slowly narrowed as if changing his decision
but I watched as the dark made these feelings abate.

I gather before me his sonnet's solemn lines,
He allows me to name it,"Fire," seems right,
as his bitterness taunts me with each phrase he entwines
leaving visions of me in the sallow dim light.

I live in his blindness through eyes of midnight.
The coals of his vision, burning embers of fright,
but the words he has spoken I endeavor to requite
for they linger and fill me with horrendous delight.

Each syllable I have written, each turn of a phrase,
I owe to this Imp as he glares from the dresser
but silence, now, while he sits in the shadows,
how I wish again to become his confessor.


10/07/2020
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020

Poem

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Robinson Jr. Avatar
November 24, 2020 at 12:47 AM
Brilliantly engrossing, James! This haunting poem pierces the veil of mystic curiosity. Unimaginable thoughts is the mind's fetter of terror. GrEaT write, my ultra-talented friend. Love and best wishes for the holiday.
Inman Avatar
November 24, 2020 at 5:54 AM
Hi Freddy, nice to hear from you. What a wonderful comment, thank you. Also, thank you for the holiday aspiration. I truly hope for happiness for you as well.
Dietrich Avatar
November 8, 2020 at 1:17 PM
wow, so deep and so dark, Ralph!! You are really working 16 hours a day? OH MY, that's more like the number of hours I PLAY. Your poem here reminds me of Poe. Your talent never subsides. Miss our hotmail chats. I hope you are doing well. And thanks for the many comments you left me yesterday.
Inman Avatar
November 8, 2020 at 4:23 PM
Hi Andrea, yeah, some of my days are pretty long. I turned down an assignment at 3:30 this morning. Thanks for the great comment. I replied to SO below that the Imp kind of represents my Muse, but the poem is really about the duality of my personality. My passionate care free Imp side makes up the poems then discards them as crap, sometimes literally throwing them in the trash. Then my more pragmatic side retrieves them, reworks them and posts them. Luckily my Imp can never take control. I would likely go crazy if it ever did. Please, feel free to email me whenever you like.
One Avatar
October 14, 2020 at 8:56 AM
Hey hope all is well with you...This very deep and so personal...Hope you can control this imp...
Inman Avatar
October 14, 2020 at 1:47 PM
HI Silent One. Yes, I'm well, just working too much (16 hour day today). Strange how I feel guilty (but also happy) about working so much. Most people would call it their muse but mine is much too mischievous for that. He is my imp who has been very quiet lately. Thank you for stopping by and for the nice comment.
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