The Boiling Man

There was a time when I fell so hard on my knees and I was only 17 when I wrote this. Years later, it's still taunting me, even in my sleep.

 

Shh, Listen...   There's A Man...   Playing An Unusual Violin...

 

With The Strings That Are The Nerves...   And The Veins...   From His Own Arms...

 

How Wonderous The Sounds...   Of The Agonies Made...   By The Slicing And Dicing...

 

Down With The Lambs...   Up With The Larks...

 

Run To The Beds, Children...   Before It Gets Dark...

 

Around, Around The Sun We Go...   As The Moon Goes Around Us...

 

While The Parts Of Us Are Dying...   In The Slow And The Painful Ways...

 

We Do Not Die Of Death...   We Die Of The Vertigo...

 

Run, Dying Breeds, Run...   Like There's No Time...   And No Tomorrow...

 

Yet, We're All Still Gonna Die One Way...   Or Another...   No Matter What...

 

And I Just Saw The Dead...   Small And Great...  Stand Before The God...

 

I Witnessed The Blood Of The Christ...   Dripping On All Of Their Skins...

 

This Is Just Another Altar...   Inside The Church...   Of The Fears And The Pains...

 

Now, I Know Why Jesus Wept...

 

Author's Note

This writing was inspired by James O'Barr, the creator of "The Crow"... (Thanks, James)

Reviews

[Wolfwind Words]

This i found to be a unique read. It's different format cause my mind to spin around alot like the images that you presented.
I liked how it was heart felt. The feelings of dispare and helplessness, seemed to fling out like and open blender.
Good read!
Thanks for sharing!

[Cattie]

This piece is what I love about Free Verse.. Keep writing. I enjoyed this read. Remember: Walt Whitman wrote free verse.

[None]

Stop the world and let me off! When we stand back and look at the busy lives about us, is there meaning? You write of a vision, a warning to stop and grasp what is meaningful and good before it's too late.
Excellent poem with many prisms within.

[Lady Of Darkness]

Brilliant work i like the strategy behind this, its so tragic.
Dark and morbid.
Great write.

[JC]

" We die of The Vertigo"... incredible line, it isn't the death but the spinning out of control that eventually does us in. I really like the layout of the poem, each verse running into one another, as if you can't get the words out fast enough.

Thank you for the invite, its certainly made me think.

[Haden]

this is really a beautiful write! i read it three times over to get all of the symbolism. wonderful flow and reflection. the last line is tremendous, "now I know why Jesus wept" true faith, without the crap, honesty always includes pain and beauty ... never just one. nice write James.

[THERISA]

Your usage of the violin imagery at the beginning of the poem, is stark and grabs the reader's attention. Very good opening device for your poem. Wasn't expecting your religious references at the end of the poem, but it fits perfectly with the rest of it. A very interest poem, which i thank you for sharing it, with us.

Therisa

[Krista Laraine]

love the set-up....didn't care for the line "yet, we're all still gonna die one way...or another....no matter what" It just seems too in your face, but not in a good way. The rest of the poem used imagery and not so obvious lines (which is why everyone had to read it more than once to really appreciate) Other than that, it flowed well and was very original.

[Natalie C]

Can I start off by saying, I loved the format, really found it to be interesting and just seemed to add to the urgency of the piece.
I have admit your ending stopped me dead in my tracks, forcing me to read it again and again. Very deep message you portrayed here, which will stay with me for quite a while.

Brilliant poem, sorry I am a bit speechless at the moment.... (which is a good thing)

[Candle in the wind]

Shh, Listen... There's A Man... Playing An Unusual Violin...



With The Strings That Are The Nerves... And The Veins... From His Own Arms...

What an evocative image!!!you represent the distraught strings of the mind.

[forfila]

Nice work, I love the ending line
"Now, I Know Why Jesus Wept..."
It sums up all the pain and torment he went through amidst the love hae gave

I also like the almost narative feeling you get even as the reade, it makes it feel almost like a poem read at the beginning of a play.

I like it.

~Raven