There is a certain coldness with the comfort
of divisions; in the border of a window,
I stay detached; I’m safe and covered
cloaked by this, my darkest night. The rainbow
is a kitchen light of houses darkly bent,
an echo dreaming past the river’s edge;
Between, I’m stranded, standing still and sent
as outcast, waiting, clinging to this ledge.
I’m saved from burning kilns of martial rows,
I’m shaded by my cross to bear alone,
regretting that I couldn’t stand your glow
of future hopes that turned my heart to stone.
Before I drowned I thrived behind your walls
Before I died I ceased to listen to your calls.
Wroclaw by Night by Kim Russel
Kim inspire us with this wonderful picture of a city by nigh today at dVerse Poetics. Write about a city at night. Join us when the bar opens.
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November 22, 2016
I love the way you have captured the essence of the city, Björn, and the idea of being ‘cloaked’ by night. The phrase ‘The rainbow is a kitchen light of houses darkly bent’ is so evocative of streets ‘by the river’s edge’ and I can see those perished outcasts. I also like the use of rhyme. My favourite lines:
‘regretting that I couldn’t stand your glow
of future hopes that turned my heart to stone.’
It’s s slight hint for my prompt on Thursday…
I’m looking forward to it 🙂
Such a deep and beautiful poem, I love the way you capture the spirit of the houses along the river ☺
The descent into the darkness reverberates with echoes and silence ~ I admire the contradictions of safety and coldness, of being an outcast yet saved ~
Deeply moving poem Bjorn. Coloured with all the layers of darkness.
Wow Bjorn, this one might be my new favourite from you. I cannot pinpoint exactly what I specially like about this one, I guess it is a mixture of relating to it, to the word choice, but I think what is prevalent is the way you mixed emotions with the sound the echo of your poem read in one’s mind would create. There is defo a captivating atmosphere.
I found this poem deeply moving as well. Great job Bjorn.
I sense it is the city talking in your poem.
Perfection Björn, pure perfection. Gifted you are.
Kind regards
Anna :o]
Stirring and chilling. I like this much.
i like how you play with ‘dark’. i too, straddle the edge of darkness because it does inspire light
You will love my prompt on Thursday
Each person has their own cross to bear…an outcast’s feels heavier. Such a sad write of a heart of stone that is lost in the darkest night…evocative write.
brilliant opening lines that set the tone of detachment
“with the comfort
of divisions; in the border of a window,”
and regret of course too
” that I couldn’t stand your glow
of future hopes that turned my heart to stone.”
Bjorn, this is so dark. But it evokes a lot of thought in me…my own darkness, isolation from many things.
It’s a serious poem and each line is packed with something that evokes a sadness or trepidation. A very emotional write.
It hints toward my prompt tomorrow… 🙂
each line is beautiful…how you put the ideas… detachment, perspectives…boundaries…great!
A brilliant cascade and layering of images that heighten and – hauntingly evoke – that sense of aloneness – that, to a degree, we all feel in any large city, in the dark of night.