helenvalentina

Palindrome 1 and 2

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Helen

Hi, just a couple of attempts at a poetic form (palindrome) I recently learnt about and which I found intriguing and challenging…not sure I have mastered it in either of the poems below (whether they are technically long enough or follow all the rules properly- any advice welcome on that), but they are my first attempt!

Dissociation

She
is fractured
Mind reeling unchecked
Dissociated butterfly, this
left weeping
Weeping left
this butterfly dissociated
Unchecked reeling mind
Fractured is
she.

Grace

Unbidden,
darkness abates
Light embraces hope
Stricken grief calls
spiritual grace
Grace, spiritual
calls grief-stricken
hope; embraces light,
abates darkness,
unbidden

Posted in Air, Fire, Poetry | Tagged acceptance, alchemy, Aspiration, cruelty, dark, denial, dissociation, Dreams, Grace, mind control, pain, Palindrome, Spiritual, truth | 25 Comments

Carnival

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Helen

An amusement ride at the 2007 Seville Fair in Seville, Spain. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Light spangled carnival
A terror of clowns
Jangling music plays
Discordant sounds
Within these shadows cast
Secrets abound
Who was that riding
The merry-go-round?

Carnival creatures play
Games you can’t win
Mazes return now to
Where you begin
Mirrors repeat you till
Thoughts turn and spin
Look in the eyes of your
Long lost dead twin

All of the rides you take
Food you consume
Spinning like dervishes
All cross the room
Deep in your stomach
A strange fear will bloom
Is there a way for your
Life to resume?

Light spangled carnival
Colours the dark
Taunts you till dawn arrives
Up with the lark
Masks hiding faces
Yet making their mark
All of the joy you sought
Merely a spark

Posted in Fire, Poetry | Tagged Carnival, carnival rides, clowns, dark, death, dissociation, fear, madness, memory, merry-go-round, mind control, pain, passion | 18 Comments

Death

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Helen

Skull (Photo credit: SebastianDooris)

Death is
An empty train station
Past midnight
Watching the flickering
Pulse of the lamplight
Weave us a ghost

Death is
A ruined church
Moonlight streaming in
Misshapen walls
The crucifix broken
All hope lost

Death is
Alleyways at night
Leading nowhere
Stray cats lurking
Singing their discordant
Mournful song

Death is
The moment your soul
Breathes next to the living
But disturbs not even
The surrounding air
And you are gone

Posted in Air, Poetry | Tagged acceptance, dark, death, denial, Dreams, ghost, Musings, Philosophy, soul, truth | 20 Comments

Honesty

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Helen

Tiger (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I move forward on the back
Of other’s mis-deeds and lies
By adopting measured honor
Past these others I arise
And in this a simple lesson
For those that crave the prize
What we think we keep well hidden
Can be seen by other eyes

I ask only that you’re honest
All my support will then be yours
I’ll hold banquets in your honor
I’ll be the first to give applause
But take advantage of my kindness
Or forsake me for your cause
You’ll find this tiger is no kitten
You’ll be acquainted with her claws.

Posted in Fire, Prose | Tagged acceptance, Aspiration, belief, choice, competition, dark, honesty, kitten, Musings, office politics, Relationships, tiger, truth | 14 Comments

Leaves of Autumn Fall

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Helen

Autumn Leaves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These creeping fears
Slither in
Every crevice
I am dumbfounded by regret
I can neither recognise
Nor name
As the leaves of autumn fall

Chilled through
I am skeletal ice
Skin stretched blue
Across cheekbones
As I stumble to the pit
To descend
As the leaves of autumn fall

Perhaps the fiery abyss
Will warm
My sunken heart
Awaken new rhythm
To its deadened
Bludgeoned beat
As the leaves of autumn fall…

Posted in Fire, Poetry | Tagged Aspiration, autumn, dark, death, denial, pain, passion, Philosophy, Spiritual, truth | 15 Comments

Regret

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Helen

I regret most
the moments of indecision
Relinquishment to fear
Words unspoken
Deeds undone
Though their mere utterance
or action may
have torn the world asunder
Instead now in this slumber
of nothingness
I regret

I regret more
the glance averted,
the turning head or back
Love’s ending
in false beginnings
Though the move to an embrace
or yet a kiss may
have broken all communion,
devastated any union
into nothingness
I regret

Posted in Poetry, Water | Tagged Aspiration, choice, dark, denial, Love, Musings, pain, passion, regret, truth | 37 Comments

Moving Up

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Helen

Movie Starlet and Reporters (Photo credit: cliff1066™)

Your love was generous and fine
Your small celebrity
Made those that followed in your wake
Associate with me
And we all know that being loved
Is great publicity

The jewels you bought and clothes I wore
Were expensive and great style
And you must know I treasure still
Your every glance and smile
But climbing up the social tree
Takes more than just a mile

The press he draws around him now
Is legion, and more grand
So to be with him is trading up
I’m sure you’ll understand
And I’m forever grateful for
Your initial helping hand

So someone to eclipse your star
Is someone I must see
For life is fame and fortune bound
And pragmatic I will be
I’m only young for so few years
And youth and beauty flee

I’m moving up, I have to say
Farewell to you and yours
For if a tiger is to thrive
She clutches with her claws
The one that draws the light the best
The money and applause

Please do not weep that am gone
We had a special fling
But your achievements aren’t enough
For me to wear your ring
By moving on now with my life
I’ll spare your suffering