Growing Vines

It is early. There are no sounds from the parked
cars outside. A piece of bread lies on the counter-top.

It is reminding me of compressed emotions held
firmly in the heart. There is not anything left to do

but face the electric lights blinking on and off
in the crevices of the morning. The secondary

darkness creates a temporary space. I flicker
on and off like the lights. Shine immortal in the

glare of a 100 watt bulb. Hide eternal in the
emptiness of the darkness. Two states of being

which differ only in the expression of doubt
that I confess. I cringe at the thought that the

lightbulb of desire is controlled by the flicking
of a switch. Somewhere there are growing vines

that travel softly over the glances of faces
pressed hopefully into the window. They are

shopping without money, wishing for toys that
they can not afford. Creating distance is easy.

It becomes a game and the dice are rolling,
rolling back and forth across the table with

accusations in every drop. I hear again the
creation of the world. It is begun in loneliness

that covers everyone who has a thought. The
days of life are spent trying to fill the emptiness

with vines of greed. My hair is gently tossed
from the sleep it has enjoyed. Like a thunder

storm the silence is deafening. There are only
situations, issues of reality which define the

makings of the man. Sometimes, the air is thick
with the insistence of defeat. Don't let the lights

turn on and off anymore. Take a position, grow
like the vines across the shadows of a thought.

Reviews

[Leslie Philibert]

Nice rich imagery, worked from orginal and startling first lines, enjoyed it, liked especially the paradoxical metaphors.

[Groovy]

This is just wonderful

[Michael West]

beautifully written. Love the images.

[Robbie]

"storm the silence is deafening. There are only
situations, issues of reality which define the

makings of the man. Sometimes, the air is thick
with the insistence of defeat. Don't let the lights

turn on and off anymore. Take a position, grow
like the vines across the shadows of a thought."~ It is within your message, that I find the true measure of living! You are Brilliant!...this is excellent!

[angelink]

Wow, this poem is genius. The last two lines are my favorite part: "Don't let the lights turn on and off anymore. Take a position, grow like the vines across the shadows of a thought," love this poem, 100

[Cascara (aka Sprint Goe..]

deep analogy
nice

[freelancejouster]

ode to this random boring thing that for no reason makes me sad and think of much more complicated things. it's kind of neat

[Audrey Howitt]

As with all of your work, there is more to this piece than initially meets the eye. Upon initial reading, I am struck by these lines--
I hear again the
creation of the world. It is begun in loneliness

that covers everyone who has a thought. The
days of life are spent trying to fill the emptiness

with vines of greed.

By maybe the hunger to be or feel something else---

Thought-provoking Chris

[Frank James Davis]

"The days of life are spent trying to fill the emptiness with vines of greed."
Paused at this one. My thought was, greed does, indeed, result from emptiness--in the same way that gluttony and lust do.
Emptiness comes from lack of purpose, which, in turn, engenders greed, gluttony and lust--to say nothing of sloth. Faith provides purpose.
Therefore, faith can eventually keep people from staying home and collecting government checks; faking an injury to collect more checks; smoking pot and munching out on pizza and buffalo wings, while swilling copious amounts of beer; screwing the neighbor's wife or one's sister-in-law (for women, perhaps the postman or any delivery man, for that matter)--and, should nothing else be available, screwing their own spouses.
Stacked against such dedicated dissipation, faith becomes a decidedly tough sell.
And so, the emptiness goes on.
This is a great poem, Chris--much of it, beyond my full understanding. But I caught enough to recognize style and depth--which is more than I often get from reading work I completely understand.

[Rene Velez]

splendid thoughts here Chris, just great...