by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | RI, VE
Black Star “Poetry is a Destructive Force.” ~ Wallace Stevens “Panteurs cruelles” ~ Arthur Rimbaud, “Voyelles” A hurricane’s extremest blast is like The force of Rimbaud. Alexandrines fell Like...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | PA
More Pointed than Pantheism The god of gods appeared on earth today. He settled on a springtime tree—a crown Of whitest pink and petals came straight down From heaven. There they murmured silent whims Of glories that no mortal eye has seen. They chanted without sound...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | RI, VE
Verlaine Agonistes “for me Rimbaud is an ever-living reality, a sun aflame within me, a sun that will not suffer eclipse” ~ Paul Verlaine long after Arthur’s death The Philistines bored out the strongman’s eyes With iron-cold gouges. Verlaine lost his sight By...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | LU
Extreme Unction The thing you had for him was somewhere in Between the condemnation of the prudes And attitudes of libertines, not sin Yet not just sentimental pink or moods Of valentines and lilies. Far above, Beyond these two extremes it wasn’t more Than...
by phillipw | Jul 13, 2019 | HE, IN
A Gay Ole Time in Daisy-Circle Hell “Why does your vision linger there below Among those lost and mutilated shades?” He asked. I stared at him. Was he so slow? “It’s obvious. None living in the glades Of heaven or in Purgatory now Is nearly so...
