NaPoWriMo ~#Poetics~ @dVersePoets

Tempting Eternity

I had never questioned the definition of eternity
until I came face to face with God.
Not by your bible's definition.
Source predated eternity, you know.

Until you have stood on Mt. Olympus
at the side of Zeus
regarding all as ants
can you comprehend these human failings.

You live to die, always fearful time will have the last laugh.
I can curb you of your strange addiction.
This insane urge to fit as much as possible
into every waking hour.

Sleep is only required for those living the nightmare.

You cringe at the thought and your expression leads me to smile.
You have no comprehension of the offer.
Your innocence intrigues me beyond measure.
Still, it is you who remains
denying the truth
that the monsters of your fairy tales exist
as you try to define the secrets I have revealed to you
in the name of love.

How can a heart that does not beat know of love?
Always black and white. Always, you fail to see beyond what your eyes convince you of.
These questions, these conversations...you think me daft, perhaps damaged
You see me as young, as hungry, but only after dark.
How does this not lead your mind to ponder the validity of my claims.

Your smile, your eyes, your endearing ways, only distract for so long
as we idle away the evening, and you tell me of your days.
The perfume of the apple blossoms, the musky scent of a near dry creek
damp, earthen, like the mead I swilled, eons before your soul took purchase
of this vessel that now perches at my side.
Intoxicating me
With each resounding pump of your heart.  Soon, I will know your soul.
But will you accept mine,
and dare to dance the true definition of eternity
that can only be found in the blood?

It's Poetics at dVerse today and @FollowBlueFlute is teasing us with blood lust...okay, the prompt is Vampires, who are about much more than blood lust...but really...it always comes down to the red stuff.
Also standing in as my NaPoWriMo for the 28th...and just received the news that on the 29th of May you should check out Poets.org where my piece "Frozen" from Nothing Left to Lose will be the poem of the day! SWEET! If you'd like to check out the collection, you can find Nothing Left to Lose at Amazon and Barnes&Noble...or you can order a signed copy direct from me! Okay...enough blatant self-promotion...let's get to the poems!

Comments

Laurie Kolp said…
Powerful, Tash... I especially like the last three stanzas (which I think could stand alone as one piece).
Brian Miller said…
oh so enticing...it carries a bit of the arrogance of those that know they are beyond mere mortals...to have their senses would surely be intoxicating...but i would take the bite...hehe...
Anonymous said…
"With each resounding pump of your heart. Soon, I will know your soul.
But will you accept mine,
and dare to dance the true definition of eternity
that can only be found in the blood?"

Love love love tash! 'dance the true definition of eternity' :)
Frank Watson said…
Conversational, like what one might say to a lover, or a lover who's a vampire :P

I liked the movement and progression of the piece. One line that stuck out for me was "Sleep is only required for those living the nightmare."
Claudia said…
very cool tash...esp. loved..dare to dance the true definition of eternity
that can only be found in the blood.... and the inclusion of scent...made me wonder for the first time ever how vampires smell...loved it
Glenn Buttkus said…
Dark as ebony sap, lovely as demon contact lenses on debutantes, this poetic journey yanked me along, rife with insights, and sense bombardments that were fresh, rash, and original. Got a little lost in the character tenses, as to whom was saying what to who [or is it who to whom?], but the surge of your language catapulted me beyond that; great ride, Tash.
Unknown said…
great take on the prompt Tash. The creatures of fairy tales exist- a thought I have had numerous times, awesome piece. thanks
Anonymous said…
Ha - great take on the prompt! Especially the last paragraph! I was sitting there smelling the roses--err--apple blossoms! K.
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on being featured at Poets.org that's HUGE!!! I enjoyed your evocative dive into the dark this evening, thank you.
Anonymous said…
I loved the intimate tone of this. Especially loved the end.
Natasha, love the dance in this poem, and the dare. "Mere mortals" as what most of us want to be, if only to make room for the coming generations, but vampires are an interesting lot. Nosferatu freaked me out, though!! Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2012/04/28/red-roses-dverse/
Semaphore said…
Instead of the physical, you chose to focus on the philosophical conundrums that surround the existence of vampires - the meaninglessness of time to an immortal, the nonexistence of love to an unbeating heart - and that is what makes this work unique.
henry clemmons said…
Rock on girl, you rolled a killer of a rant here. Very poetic and smashing. Great rythmic line work, inticing, eerily so. Very excellente.
Unknown said…
The dialog is so real, so powerfully rendered. There's an awareness of posdibility and actuality in the narrator's words, bringing us close to being seduced by such knowledge, such godlike awareness transcending human perception. This is another interesting aspect to the myth that is important to understand, and which you've so compellingly put into words.
Susie Clevenger said…
It is filled with emotion..living words that bridge the vampire theme with death. Wonderful work!
Chris Wood said…
Tash, there's always "power in the blood" ! Wonderful... thought provoking work!
Anonymous said…
In all honesty, I had to stop reading this poem at "source predated eternity, you know." There is so much truth and beauty in that statement that it could in itself be the source of a dozens poems. Once I got over that minor obsession, I got to delve into this fascinating conversation where in blood and truth and love are not what they scene and perceptions are laid bare, with the usual perceived voice of horror the voice of truth. Fabulous!
PattiKen said…
Well done. The idea of something that predates eternity is very evocative. Were that true...
Linda Kruschke said…
Very nice! My favorite line was: "Always black and white. Always, you fail to see beyond what your eyes convince you of."
So many fail to see or believe beyond what their five senses reveal, missing out on so much. Peace, Linda
Glenn Buttkus said…
ah yes, immortality has its price too, as we will find out in TWILIGHT, Breaking Dawn, part II. Vampires are such naughty demonic fairy tales, really enjoying popularity presently with four TV series, and such. I love your lines/before your soul took purchase of this vessel that now perches at my side/. Great to revisit this one.
Anonymous said…
Fun and creepy to reread, blood lust indeed, gave me shivers!
Oh to have the contempt of gods!
Anonymous said…
Beautiful, Tash, & I so agree with what you say. Love the final question, so poetical & really the definitive philosophical question imo - to "dare to dance the true definition of eternity
that can only be found in the blood"
Beachanny said…
This is a dense and haunting poem - full of philosophical discovery, and psychological ruminations. It brings the outer arrogance face to face with the center of the soul. I think this is my first read. Very powerful.
Brian Miller said…
whew...nice one to go back too...shivers on a hot day...smiles....tash i told you the other day, but thank you...for being the poet and person that you are...smiles.
Mary said…
This haunts me in a good kind of way. I hadn't been into the vampire theme, thus hadn't read...but this was a worthy demonic read!
Susan said…
I read this before, though I didn't stop to chat. How could I? I am the mortal here. But the poem is not! I LOVE THIS POEM and how the vampire sneers about the blindness of mortals to real power and existence outside the box, how the vampire brags, how it wants to be understood but is doomed not to be--and knows it. How intriguing could it be to see the same failure of the imagination over and over again? Those who dare are not companions in the talk, they are egoists too, greedy, loving only their own voice. Ha!
Beachanny said…
Thank you for the kind note you left on my blog. I want to thank you publicly here for all you do as part of the dVerse team, for your beautiful poems every week, for your enthusiasm for poets and poetry, for your unstinting support of them, and for your always taking the time to reinforce me with your comments. I'm so pleased and honored to serve with you and so happy to call you friend.
ayala said…
A wonderful write. Thank you for your work and inspiration this year!
RMP said…
rarely do the monsters of fairy tales get to present their point of view. I think you did this particular creature due justice. this was definitely a poem I could sink my (eye) teeth into.
mrs mediocrity said…
wow, to be honest, i usually turn away from the vampire thing, but this this was fabulous. i am so glad i caught it this time around.
adan said…
very interesting, esp liked,

"Source predated eternity, you know"

and

"Soon, I will know your soul.
But will you accept mine,
and dare to dance the true definition of eternity"

they seemed to tie something together for me tash, thank you ;-)
Anonymous said…
Holy balls. I know this
jackie dick said…
Your vampire poem is so powerful and tempting, I almost forget for a moment my own humanity and wonder what it would be like.....o never mind. This is, a beautifully crafted work with unforgettable imagry.
DQPoetry said…
enjoyed as alwas Tash, thanks for welcoming me in and a good year!
Scarlet said…
Love it Tash, full of passion and fire ~ I did enjoy this vampire prompt too ~
vivinfrance said…
Vampires are decidedly not my thing, yet I enjoyed this poem on many other levels.
Anonymous said…
The ending still gets me. :) -Dark Angel
DQPoetry said…
Haha nicely done Tash, I enjoyed that
Almost a mix of poetry and prose at the same time, and some great food for the imagination,
Cheers,
Dylan
Mystic_Mom said…
Wow...that is a very cool poem. Like it, very much.

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