clinging to the light along
the brilliant edge of darkness

and you climb on the back of that beast
without hesitation
singing some song about how good
always conquers evil

and i admire your tenacity

wanting to sing along with you

but some days i see darkness
everywhere i look

and it’s not even hidden
sitting right out there in the open
like a mouse on the edge of the road

and the hawk, the hawk is not evil
only hungry

and the storm, the storm is not evil
only angry

and the fire, the fire is not evil
only out of control

and the sky, the sky keeps returning

holding me down, tethered
even as i threaten to fly off the handle

there are always three doors
and i can never choose

no light creeps in
beneath those cracks

but that’s never true, really

there is always light
there is always darkness

the yin and yang of sanity
are always intertwined

two lovers on a bed of redemption

clinging to the light that pulls

delivers

offers up
the sacrificial shadow

and then you are gone

white horse

red cape

floating melting drifting

into an almost

invisible

sunset

.

.

.

.

Linking up with the fabulous dVerse poets for Open Link Night join us

27 Responses to “clinging to the light along
the brilliant edge of darkness”

  • honey Says:

    the bed of redemption is where we all sleep….from time-to-time…thanks for the visual. always a joy to stop by.

  • d smith kaich jones Says:

    “and it’s not even hidden . . .”

    by the time i reached this line, i was almost on my feet, cheering for the truth of this. and it only got better. yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! to the hawk, to the storm, to the fire, to the light that is always there somewhere, to the darkness that defines the light.

    i am, as roux says in chocolat, undone.

  • brian miller Says:

    i agree…its hard….there is a delicate balance between good and evil which oft goes either way….there was a shift for me a few years ago in this and the way i write, acknowledging the darkness and that evil does sometimes win…

  • Melissa Says:

    Brilliant and beautiful.

  • Kathryn Dyche Dechairo Says:

    Love how you describe the mouse, hawk, storm and fire . . . and a bed of redemption, oh yes!

  • nana Says:

    Whew,girl you are good …

  • laurie kolp Says:

    I love this, Kelly… especially:

    the yin and yang of sanity
    are always intertwined

  • Claudia Says:

    and the hawk, the hawk is not evil
    only hungry

    and the storm, the storm is not evil
    only angry

    and the fire, the fire is not evil
    only out of control…. loved that part esp… and the close with the almost invisible sunset…great

  • Glenn Buttkus Says:

    A terrific poem, Mrs. M, and I love the word positioning that you seem to favor. Love the lines /there’s always three doors/and I can never choose/ and def dig the insights into the complexities we face; that most of life can not be rendered down to a sound bite, or something clearly B&W, or BorW, that those glorious shades of gray, those revelations regarding the true nature of adversaries is/are instructive, honest, & stinging; thanks.

  • Mary Says:

    Really strong images in this poem. I especially like the stanza about the hawk, the storm, and the fire!

  • grapeling Says:

    this, to me, such a graceful trope:

    “the yin and yang of sanity
    are always intertwined

    two lovers on a bed of redemption”

  • KB Says:

    Without the darkness how would we value the light? Without good and evil how else would we realize that life can be neither one nor the other and remain in balance? I think you’ve said it exquisitely here. >KB

  • KATiE MiA FredericK!iI Says:

    I am saying the first thing that comes to mind today and zooming through comments so it is all metaphor please..

    It is like sex the push the pull all leads to the greatest of all..

  • Gretchen Leary Says:

    I love this. My favorite lines

    “the yin and yang of sanity
    are always intertwined”

    These words spoke to me on a very deep level because with depth comes intensity and I think “sanity” is associated with logical and almost a shallow misunderstanding of where we stand.

    I really enjoyed all of this. Very nicely written

  • Steve E Says:

    Just as darkness and light balance out our behaviors, There must needs be sadness in life, to insure happiness, each in different measure.

    Thanks for pointing this out poetically, or I might not have these thought.

    Is “mediocrity” something like “Just another bozo on the bus”? grin!

  • Ruth Says:

    this is sending shivers down my spine, so much that touches on feelings I’ve had lately…

    there are always three doors
    and i can never choose

    love the mantra-like repetition in:

    and the hawk, the hawk is not evil
    only hungry

    and the storm, the storm is not evil
    only angry

    and the fire, the fire is not evil
    only out of control

  • Margaret Says:

    The image captures me as well as the hawk, storm, and fire section “are not evil’. This is a powerful poem – a truth of nature that we humans find hard to accept.

  • Anna Montgomery Says:

    Rendered in rich colors you acknowledge the role of the underpainting, the shadows of which sometimes come to the forefront. Masterful and engaging work.

  • charliezero1.wordpress.com Says:

    “and the hawk, the hawk is not evil
    only hungry”

    wow!!! You are a brilliant writer! I like this poem a lot. Even the title. 🙂

  • HA Says:

    Darkness is more comforting, even if it is evil. Just saying…
    I liked your verses. That balance between good and evil is a slippery ground. So well-written. A wonderful read!

  • Colin Morgan Says:

    I enjoyed this – wondering where it was going – fascinated by the journey…

  • Ayala Says:

    A fine balance , it’s a dance of good and evil. A great write, Kelly .

  • Lindy Lee Says:

    In the case of Light vs. Dark it’s the middle part, the in between, that drives this follower to distraction. Appreciate the way your poem, “clinging to the light along the brilliant edge of darkness”, calls attention to the ‘middle parts’…

  • shanyn Says:

    This just took my breath away – wow!

  • SS Matthews Says:

    What a fabulous texture and movement you have created here with your words!

  • John Allen Richter Says:

    Astonishing. Beautiful. Captivating. A bit sensual there at the end… Would love to know what your three doors are, though…

  • Bjorn Says:

    Those three doors touched me especially. Really wonderful poem.. and that hawk, storm and fire..

I cherish your comments...