Behind eased eyes
an aura appears
flares and rarefies
like the afterimage
from a bright light
shifting and shaping
to gaseous lace
or eerily esoteric
fairy aeriform.
Into the dream
wisplike she springs
finespun and sparse
fashioning a face
from a lifetime ago
to be touched
one last time
before vanishing
to the void.
I love this!
After reading some of your poems this is the line that came to mind Mike. “The whisper of magic into forgotten dreams tempting to remember of old times.” MJL.
What a delightful compliment! 😀 You’ve made my day MJL – my sincerest gratitude.
you are very welcome, this piece Inspired something within me this morning 🙂
I’m delighted that you picked up the vibe here Micheline and appreciate your pausing to comment. Many thanks.
🙂
A poem that is pure magic, Mike- like the magical fairy that appears and then disappears in that fleeting moment of enchantment which is the subject of this poem.
Thanks DVH and yes, the dream was quite teasing in that nano-second of flashback from my innocent (?) youth DVH. Funny how the subconscious pulls tricks like that out of the blue – it just begged to be written.
I read this as an emotional hangover that often lasts a very long time. You are a truly remarkable poet, Mike.
I’m pleased and humbled by your comment Vera. Thank you so much.
You always amaze me with your poetry, well done Mike
Kind words FMG and it’s very gratifying to have your appreciation – thank you.
Always a fan..
Very ethereal and fluctuating.. Aerial Phenomenology and soft volatile imagery.
Great one , Mike, best wishes
Aquileana 😛
I do so love feedback that reads poetically in itself Aquileana. Thank you for this fresh acuity and affirmation.
You have summed up the crafting of your poem in one of the lines: “finespun and sparse”; sparse in that each word carries a stroke of the brush – needed and significant for the picture – without any padding; and finespun – so beautifully crafted. Great writing… the ‘fineness’ of the poem is just like the lace of the ethereal image and feeling contained within. 🙂
Angela your words are a poem in themselves and your interpretation accurately illustrates the brevity that I tried to achieve here. Thank you for this scrupulous study and fine endorsement of this work.
beautifully crafted Mike
My thanks indeed for these kind words.
Great stuff as always, Mike!
Great to hear from you Brent and thanks for this encouraging response.
Reblogged this on debbiewritesstuff and commented:
I like the way this poem is written, in a spare, stream of consciousness style.
I enjoyed your poem and the way that it seems to float and hover on the page, like something out of a stream of consciousness. There are no unnecessary words. You kept the wording spare without losing the meaning. Nice work!
Thank you so much for this studied and useful analysis Debbie. It is encouraging and very much appreciated.
Love the dreamy way you words weave their ways into a story of loss…. sad and melancholic in the most beautiful way
Thank you for your appraisal and thoughts – greatly appreciated.
I find myself just listening to the flow of the words rather than the sense. They have an ethereal sound. I love the ‘fairy aeriform’ combination, and the ambiguity (to me anyway) of the ending which leaves it unclear which void she is disappearing into—her own or the poet’s.
Funny you should mention those two words Jane – about once a year I trip over a combo like that (which keeps me smiling for the other 364 days). I was trying for harmonics and out it popped. The void? She faded away as the dream ended and I might never dream her face again, so she’s gone. Thanks heaps for your perception and appreciation Jane.
Absolutely love this piece, Mike. Well done!!
So pleased to have your valued affirmation Skye – my thanks.
It keeps returning but grows hazier with time
…some solace then. Thanks for reading – and understanding
Mike, this is simply beautiful.
Lovely altruistic words to start my day – thank you so much Susan.
Awesome Mike. I love how you paint the pictures through your words for us. Beautiful. Lots of love and hugz.
Considerate acknowledgement from you is a delight to receive Patty – my congenial thanks.
Exceptional poem Mike truly exceptional
Benevolent words from a discerning fellow blogger – many thanks.
I was going to write about how much I like the first two lines, but that would be unfair to the rest of the poem – many of the words I might have chosen to describe it are used to great effect by the commentators above – overall, your use of various poetic devices make for an enchanting read – ethereal yet evocative all at the same time. You smashed it with this one Mike.
Golly. I’m quite thunderstruck with your words Polly. I feel extraordinarily gratified to have someone who could discern and appreciate the structural elements I built into this, let alone pay it such compliments. You’ve made my day and I thank you with the greatest sincerely.
How our minds hold on to emotive images…and how we are struck when they reemerge at some point in time. Sadly, sometimes that image ends up more captivating than the person actually is/was (that’s my experience anyway, though maybe in this case she is as alluring as the vision).
Yes H, our subconscious can come up the long-forgotten – it freaks me out occasionally 😀 And while it is also true that we aggrandise the reality in such cases, I believe it is the job of a poet to exaggerate that reality above and beyond the norm. I have plenty of time to ponder the psychology of it when I move from my desk to the ironing board. Reality? Bah!
Love this
Thank you so much for this lovely feedback.
Stunning…I love. ((Awhoooo))
Echoing right back at you in appreciation – many thanks marcus
She sounds amazing, Mike. Your words don’t come through here enough, if you ask me. Have a great weekend.
Thanks Audrey and I hope you weekend brings ample rest, recreation and an excuse to party 😀
I think it’s ethereal and captivating, hauntingly lovely. Peace. ~ Michael
Namaste Michael and thank you for this this highly complimentary analysis.