Plainly speaking, they are
off-white patches where
the heads of nails were
mudded over, but not well sanded.
I opt to see them as
push-pins squashed when spat
on monochrome maps
to point me dippered ways outre-ward.
Their gap-tooth patterns micro-mimicking
constellations hap
my eyes to hazard
hopping through new belt hoops.
Then passed by barely habited worlds,
I wheel round orbits
molecularly
chained to collide, next time.
My neighbor's heavy steps fade out.
— Francis Scudellari
This poem is written in response to Read Write Prompt #112: Narrative wallpaper at Read Write Poem. Rather than being inspired by what I found on my walls, I looked up to the ceiling.
8 comments:
I found myself pounding the ceiling with a broom handle in response to my neighbor's auditory intrusions. They started to give me strange looks after that. It seems like they don't walk as much as they once did... Thank you, I like the feel of it & the orbiting constellation concept. Thanks. Keep Going
nicely done Francis...i have read it a couple of times...good one my friend....thanks for sharing your words
You had a three dimensional ceiling constellation fantasy with movement and auditory accompaniment
maybe with a sprinkling of plaster
which of course you would refer to
as star dust.Very imaginative and as always a little enigmatic with light flurries of the will o' wisp!
Always enjoy your work.
Bravo Francis. Loved the music of Stanza three the most. [I opt...]
William Blake wrote in "Auguries of Innocence"
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
I don't know if you held infinity in your hand, Francis, but you've done a great job finding the cosmic in the mundane. Constellations and orbits and barely habited worlds in the spots on the ceiling under the sound of a neighbor's footsteps!
Wonderful!
"point me dippered ways outre-ward" now that's a lot of convolutions in a phrase!
I love the matter-of-fact beginning, and the plain explanation being followed by the wild alliterations and fancies. Fun take on the prompt.
Amazingly clever to find the cosmos on the ceiling, tamed only by squashed push-pins. A delightful read!
@Jim I'll definitely keep going. My neighbors are generally pretty quiet, so I can't complain.
@Wayne Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
@Rallentanda Thanks so much. I really like that idea of plaster as stardust :).
@Gerry Thanks... I agree that's probably the strongest stanza.
@Paul I've always admired Blake for both his poetry and his illustration. I certainly don't measure up to his mysticism, but if this evoked him in any way I'm pleased.
@Briarcat I may have gotten carried away with that line :).
@Tumblewords In my light-polluted city, the ceiling is the only place I can find the cosmos.
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