Saturday, August 29, 2009

Cathedral













Spire to spire,
millions yesterday, today one
on royal nave flattened by sweat and smoke,
formless grey tracks back and chokes on
black breaking everywhere:
black matte downpour reprise,
black trees and charcoal fused
by smudged plexiglass thumb.
Hitch an armful of ghosts
tangled in bag and wire pantheism
to cross the worshipful bridge, steel rails and eye
swallowed by the letterboxed sky.

25 comments:

Christopher said...

This looks like our neck of the woods.

It rains and rains and rains. It never stops raining. I want to cut the grass but it's raining and the lawn mower will muck up.

Maybe tomorrow.

Laura said...

Well, you know me. I had to Google a couple of those words so I would gain a greater understanding of what you were trying to express.
I believe I know what you're saying. I don't have the vocabulary to say it though. I'm kind of sitting her with my mouth hanging open. I feel it, but I can't say it. Know what I mean?
It's raining here too. :) I've been out for two walks in it and sat watching it through the window. (between loads of laundry).
Enjoy your days off.
((Hugs))
Laura

Holte Ender said...

J'aime des poemes de la pluie. (sp)

Commander Zaius said...

I wish it would rain here. Long gray hard days with rain soaking the ground to the point your feet sink an inch or two stepping on the wet grass.

All we are having are saccharin sweet sunny days that seem like countless repeats. I'd love a good tropical storm to come ashore and move over us.

Randal Graves said...

christopher, I love the rain, but hate the inevitable grasscutting. I should turn the yard into a field of shrubs.

sunshine, just something I scrawled on the bus ride down to work this morning. Anyone can read whatever they want into it, or laugh. ;-)

holte, moi aussi. La poèsie mélancholique est meilleure que la poésie heureuse.

BB, ugh, it sounds like you guys are saddled with San Diego weather, but with the added bonus of delightful humidity.

Me said...

Rain.

Sweet rain.

How I wish it would bless us.

Nothing but record-setting heat and exceptional drought conditions here.

:(

But the poem is beautiful.

:)

Utah Savage said...

This is perfection. You are indeed a poet. So stop fucking around!

Mary Ellen said...

Ah...as usual, you take my breath away. (ok, you can take the pillow off my face now, Randal. ;-) )

Frankly, I'm happy to see some rain come our way, the grass is green again after about a month without a drop. For some reason I prefer a great big thunderstorm with lots of lightening crashing around me, though....I find that very "stimulating". ;-) I wonder why that is?

susan said...

l'ennui melodieux indeed. il est merveilleux, beau et profondément.

I can't choose a favorite line because it is whole but the letterboxed sky was a nice touch at the end.

Tengrain said...

Graves, you swine!

We are one the second day of a 100°+ heat wave.

Thanks a lot, pal. Thanks a lot!

Regards,

Tengrain

Tom Harper said...

The Left Coast could sure use some rain right now.

BTW, I just read that Cleveland is one America's most stressed-out cities. (You probably knew that already.) Chicago was first, and I think Cleveland was 2nd or 3rd.

Snave said...

So, did this take place in England?

I've never been there, but London is where I went when I read the poem, anyways. Nicely done!!

Mary Ellen said...

BTW, I just read that Cleveland is one America's most stressed-out cities. (You probably knew that already.) Chicago was first, and I think Cleveland was 2nd or 3rd.

Ha-ha, Randal, I'm more stressed out than you are....nanny nanny boo boo. ;-)

Considering the ups and downs of the White Sox, the absolutely inept Cub's, Mayor Shortshanks Daley and his merry band of chumbolones running the city (i.e. The Chicago Way), and kids getting shot at on a daily basis by gangs that even the cops are afraid to go near, yeah...we're freakin' stressed out!

Mary Ellen said...

Oh, I must add to my last comment....the only thing we take solace in is that we're not Wisconsin. That would be really bad. :-D

Demeur said...

To borrow a Tengrain

Graves, you swine!

How dare you make people think? You must be getting monies from the dictionary lobby.

themom said...

I loved the poem. As long as that French stuff goes on - it will keep me blind and in a corner. LOL!!!

Laura said...

Well I didn't laugh. I thought I knew what you meant in it but perhaps not. Who knows...
((Hugs))
Laura

Suzi Riot said...

I like it. Very much.

Ubermilf said...

you may call me crazy, but this makes me miss home.

It's all sunny and hot and dry here. It feels like another planet.

Betty Carlson said...

Wow. And very à propos, my daughter just rented an apartment behind the Rodez cathedral and we were just gazing at the flying buttresses and gargoyles yesterday evening (after assembling some Ikea furniture, which kind of ruins the image.)

okjimm said...

per Demeur

"To borrow a Tengrain"

hmmmmm a phrase that deserves perusement.

Howza,

"I will gladly pay you tuesday for a Tengrain today"

or

"A Tengrain a day makes a good sandwich."

this needs more thought than I can spare on a monday

S.W. Anderson said...

Randal, that is a really neat poem. Kind of a Mondrianesque rendering in words of the emotional impact a weather change can trigger. That's how it strike me, anyway. Fine accompanying photo, too.

Nicely done.

Life As I Know It Now said...

L’Enfer

I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. Except maybe that you are full of blasons but that's alright!

Dr. Zaius said...

You could say that this is very colorful! If you count black and gray as colors, that is.

Letterboxing is lots of fun! You get to preserve a film's original aspect ratio in a jar with formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and lots of Sulfur dioxide. Screw the lid down tight!

Randal Graves said...

Thanks for all the kind words, folks, I'm glad you all have low standards!