When Madness Rides On Moonlight

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Days pass into the weak, loveless nights. The moon blinks.
The stars swirl beneath Van Gogh’s brush, as he links.
Comet light passes twisting cypresses, a schizophrenic’s concussion.
On and on, the wind twirls the trees, and does not complain,
nor, does the cosmos cringe awaiting reciprocation.
Lightning bugs mimic the stars. Atoms sneer.

Those who spout love and friendship abandon him, sneering.
Their images dance beneath his lids, when he blinks.
Though denied a compass, his soul does not reciprocate.
Through pain, physical and mental, he still connects, links
with the life which absorbs and excludes him, not complaining.
Nights pass without his mistress, Sien. His mind is concussive.

His face trembles torn in the brass sounds of the storm’s concussions.
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker, all of them, sneer. 
How unmerciful, this cycle, this God to whom he does not complain.
If lack of mercy is just, may he not know why? Time blinks.
Thinking causes pain. Only painting connects him, he links.
He accepts art and the pain, as gifts, choosing not to reciprocate.

Voices, the paint, the moon, the voices say, reciprocate.
He chases mice. The cheese plate falls with a loud concussion.
He rubs his gnarled hands across his lids. He maintains the link. 
How? Why? But, the mice eating his cheese only sneer.
The sunflowers shimmer and wiggle in their vase, as he blinks.
Stumbling, he falls attempting to sit, the chair does not complain.

He had thought God clear as sunlight; yet, the paint complained. 
He was not God; he could not capture the light. He must reciprocate.
After all, who was he, but a mere man, ashes to dust; life blinks.
Ah death, le grand mal, no minor concussion,
He must escape, join the celestial spin, and avoid their sneers.
Sick, yes, sick to death of not being understood, not linking.

The brushes call. He prostitutes himself. Oil spills, connecting, linking.
Theo, brother, never would he forgive. Many others would complain.
Ah, Gauguin, His dear friend, he would understand and not sneer.
If God was truly a loving God, surely, he thought; God will not reciprocate.
The mockers who did not live in Dante’s nine levels of hellish concussion,
they will call his actions cowardly. Merciless, they did not live between the blinks.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011



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1234
Date: 10/17/2020 11:06:00 PM
If God was truly a loving God, surely, he thought; God will not reciprocate.....it's a thoughtful poem shared; thanks for sharing this
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Date: 7/15/2019 4:07:00 PM
"denied a compass" so extremely well written. I love this from beginning to end. Excellent. Ann
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Date: 10/3/2016 7:37:00 AM
Not schizophrenic. He tried to live on Absinthe ( known to have hallucinogenic properties ), spending the bulk of Theo's remittances on canvases and paint.
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Warlov Avatar
Robert Warlov
Date: 10/4/2016 9:52:00 AM
I didn't know that. I suppose we'll have to excuse all the Parisian Post-Impressionist on that account, and perhaps the entire history of the Moulin Rouge. :)
Guzzi Avatar
Debbie Guzzi
Date: 10/3/2016 8:26:00 AM
He was also being poisoned by gaslight.
Date: 3/30/2016 6:39:00 PM
Wonderful! So much to think about here. One of my favorite artists and such an enigma. You have captured so much of that and the mood of the painting. Thanks.
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Guzzi Avatar
Debbie Guzzi
Date: 3/30/2016 7:51:00 PM
Thank you Kathleen!
Date: 10/21/2015 10:02:00 AM
Fabulous vocab and beautiful description.
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Guzzi Avatar
Debbie Guzzi
Date: 10/21/2015 10:17:00 AM
Thank you so much, it is but one of the powerful poems in my new book The Hurricane, available through me or at Prolific Press & Amazon.
Date: 6/15/2015 2:19:00 AM
excellent peom!
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Date: 3/5/2015 10:02:00 AM
Fantastic narrative of Van Gogh, an artist of truly amazing perception!- Loved this piece Debbie! - 7
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Date: 9/23/2014 10:15:00 AM
Van Gogh has always been one of my favorite artists. I have also always been intrigued by his life. This is an amazing write that I have added to my favs.
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Date: 7/3/2014 7:25:00 AM
Thank you very much, thats lovely :)
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Date: 6/17/2014 9:22:00 AM
Thank you for entering my contest with this GREAT poem! I enjoyed reading it. Congratulations on the win. It was all inspiring.
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Date: 6/16/2014 6:45:00 PM
You should be so proud of this one, Debbie......I went back to hear you recite this once again on You tube.......it is one of my favorites too !! (not to mention the beautiful woman I see!)
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Date: 6/16/2014 2:46:00 PM
WOW cher.. MOON blinks,HE blinks, TIME blinks, VINCENT blinks... OUTSTANDING!! Go directly to MY favs too, do not pass go...
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Date: 6/16/2014 4:53:00 AM
Thoughtful n seemingly true indeed ! ur fav poem is goin to be my fav too Debbie ! congrats on win n thanks for sharing !
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Date: 6/15/2014 3:39:00 PM
I wonder if we didn't know if we could tell which artist is mad and which one sane. Congratulations on your win. Love,Joyce
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Guzzi Avatar
Debbie Guzzi
Date: 6/15/2014 4:08:00 PM
I would guess a lot have some type of mental difference?
Date: 6/15/2014 11:04:00 AM
Sprawling yet intricate. Circuitous yet exact. So dense in image and thought you cannot blink. :)
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Date: 6/15/2014 8:30:00 AM
A big congrats on your win. Thanks for sharing your favorite poem..
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Date: 6/15/2014 1:53:00 AM
Thanks for sharing your favorite poem, congrats on the well deserved win, Debbie
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Date: 6/14/2014 11:57:00 PM
Congrats D G.... Love ~SKAT~
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Date: 6/14/2014 10:32:00 PM
Hi Debbie, I see why you enjoy this poem of yours. I don't know this form, but it's a heck of a poem.. Congratulations with your own "Favorite Poem, entered in Carol's XOOL contest... Yeah, we all Win... What a sweet Deal... XOX~ LINDA
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Date: 6/14/2014 6:37:00 PM
Oh I can see why this is your favorite poem, worthy of another shiny medal :) good job :)
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Date: 6/9/2014 2:53:00 PM
Extremely Passionate: Definitely She Would Seem Within A Faraway Glimpse Be It Vague At Best, Unto Most; That You Yourself Have Captured The Maddening Colours Of A Heart's Entangled To Be Here's, Inferno World....Think It Not Strange ~ KLove, Jeremy *
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Date: 2/26/2014 9:23:00 PM
Debbie, thank you for setting the music and the mood with your winning. Poem. Congratulations:) Take Care ~SKAT~
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Date: 2/25/2014 9:36:00 AM
art in motion, debbie.. sweet congrats!..huggs
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Date: 2/25/2014 2:49:00 AM
love the depth here Debbie very fine pen congrats on win hugs
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Date: 2/24/2014 2:24:00 PM
Debbie congratulation on your win. A tremendous Sestina you've written. Enjoyed it very much. Warm Smiles, Connie
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