i love you ...
to the cold marrow, i do
beastess of black
the art of you, ritualistic, raw
all your names wrap me
savage, winged and wondrous …
tempt me, tepid dragon
i dream of the pursuit
wrought in timeless space
wispy, winding the world
biting my tongue with bitter citrus
or dripping with rhythmic, parenthetical
perfection …
dance for me -
break at the score, residue-righteous
engendered non-generically
come, venerated venom
and strike true -
crimp, shine, bubble, breathe
sing my veins ...
hot, horrid harlot of the haggard heart
neuron-nasty and aflame
a receptor conflagration, reborn
divinely devilish …
i - Mad Molly's sullied son -
curse you with all i know
and woo you with my innocence, lost
i nail you to a cross
of considerations and care
only to worship your ruin
the lion's paw to your Androcles, merciful
acid tears to wash your feet
and blood …
to bind.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, February 7, 2021; update November 24, 2023
Categories:
androcles, addiction, analogy, imagery, introspection,
Form: Free verse
i love you ...
to the cold marrow, i do
beastess of black
the art of you, ritualistic, raw
all your names wrap me, winged and wondrous
tempt me, tepid, dragon
i dream of the chase ... in timeless space
wispy, winding the world
biting my tongue with a bitter citrus
or dripping with rhythmic, parenthetical perfection
dance for me ...
break at the score, residue-righteous
engendered non-generically
come, venerated venom, and strike true
crimp, shine, bubble, breathe
sing my veins ...
hot, horrid whore of the haggard heart
neuron-nasty and aflame
a receptor conflagration, divinely devilish
i - Mad Molly's bastard son -
curse you with all i know
and woo you with my innocence, lost
i nail you to a cross of considerations and care
only to worship your ruin
the lion's paw to your Androcles, merciful
acid tears to wash your feet ...
blood to bind.
Categories:
androcles, addiction, analogy, dark, drug,
Form: Free verse
Not long ago, some tragic soul, a young man,
Accidentally fell into the well (an 18-foot drop)
In the Delhi zoo,
Where a white tiger was resting cozily
In the warm September sun.
The stunned young man,
A poor Androcles,
A gladiator without a sword,
Pitted against the six-foot wild animal,
Held up his hands—as if in supplication.
The tiger, curious, studied the victim
Before swiping him;
And then again took quite some time –
Perhaps to let the people around
Watch and cry louder
And to let an excited boy
Record a neat video,
On his mobile, of the moments of agony –
To maul the unarmed gladiator
And drag the limp body away
Before eventually retreating.
A gory death
With no glory in it.
The moral of the story?
RSVP!
--Ram, R. V.
Categories:
androcles, grief,
Form: Lyric
Back foot Irishman
Who remembers his
tripe
Major Barbara
Androcles and the
lion
are we all asleep !
Just a man of his
time
like a five minute
pop star
friend of nancy boy
Bosie Douglas
bringing the poor
main man Oscar Wilde
down
Better self love
than grovelling in
the dirt
how can any real man
or woman dislike
Shakespeare
a friend of Michael
IRA Collins
all there a
collection of back
foot Irishmen
The Irish sadly will
never be free
trapped in their own
Sunni and Shi-ite
sh**
Categories:
androcles, natural disasters,
Form: Free verse
Back foot Irishman
who remembers his tripe
Major Barbara n Androcles and the lion
are we all asleep !
Just a man of his time
like a five minute pop star
friend of nancy boy Bosie Douglas
bringing poor Oscar down
Better self love than grovelling in the dirt
how can any real man or woman dislike Shakespeare
friend of Michael IRA Collins
Back foot Irishman
Categories:
androcles, art,
Form: Free verse