Friday, October 16, 2009

dreaming devotion

















of all my dreams
no dream like this
such sweet release
on vagrant stairs
i chant your name
i worship i cry

walking up
on painted walls
legs in chains
scaling perimeter
skirting beam
the ears the eyes

closed eyes
hurt eyes
of heart of mind
my legs in pain
frantic but shy
to reason to stop

your image teases
glint of cheek
of rock of stone
petrifies defies
my discipline my agony
my devotion

do i know you
do i know you
do i know
do i do i

slave to gravity
tortured beast
will i find you there
on high (up high)
waiting (will you)
will i will i

or will you leave
a scribble on skin
an envelope sealed
unsealed revealed
will the demons be
will they will they

what chance have i
to win a round
my cards two-faced
my arms no-handed
giving giving
too much and why

do i dare dream
do i do i

i dream of trains on rotting floors
in narrowing corridors of dusk
and flames from fallen lamps
dancing on torrid waters of sea
and you i kiss and i you kiss
open mouth to closed eye

what dream to dream
can awaken shadows
send them swinging
on painted walls
waltz (waltz)
not die (not die)

do i dare dream
do i do i

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I have missed your writting, so glad my computer got fixed early and Im back able to indulge in your work....

love it;)

Stacey J. Warner said...

I love that picture and it's perfect for your writing...what inspired this piece?

Did you have a dream?

It is always a pleasure to read your work.

much love

Anonymous said...

That is an incredible photo, and your qords, as always are thought-provoking. Are you in love?

Secretia

Renee said...

Beautiful Nevine. Dare we.....

xoxo

Sarah Hina said...

I've been on that staircase. The temptation is to keep climbing, though the fall is long.

This is my favorite piece of yours so far, Nevine. The slingshot momentum, the vertigo rush of hope-danger-desire, and the questions raised that are their own burning answers. This poem galloped right into me.

We plunge into dreams because we can. But there's usually some hope, some spark of anticipation, for shaping the reality to come.

Brilliantly done! :)

Danyelle L. said...

Beautiful imagery, and wonderful picture to go with it. :D

Shadow said...

oh please do dare to dream... loved this!

Owen said...

"I dream of trains on rotting floors"

Lovely Nevine, for a moment I almost thought I was reading T.S. Eliot...

Do keep dreaming, and sharing...

Nevine Sultan said...

Steven - So happy to see you're back, and to know your computer woes are over. Thank you, Steven!

Stacey - My writing is usually a mishmash of dreams, daily living, perceptions, impressions... It's hard for me to compartmentalize one piece of writing into one object of inspiration. I'm happy you liked it!

Secretia - Am I in love? Yes yes yes! I'm terribly upside down in love with my husband! I'm sorry if that didn't satisfy your naughty expectations... ;)

Renee - Thank you lots!

Sarah - It's clear we think along the same lines. You've captured the essence of my piece exactly! Thank you thank you!

Danyelle - Thanks for stopping in and staying a while!

Shadow - I'm flattered!

Owen - T.S. Eliot? I'll take that, roll it into a candy wrapper, and tuck it inside my heart. You only mentioned me and my favorite poet of all time in one sentence, Owen! What else can I say?

Unknown said...

Yes! T.S Elliot for sure (my fav anyway)

"Do I dare disturb the universe?"

Anonymous said...

"Slave to gravity, tortured beast". Do we dare challenge our grounded certainty and rise above mortality to capture the essence of our dreams? This was surely a transcendental cerebration Nevine, beautifully captured. You certainly have your own unique way of scribe.

Anonymous said...

I like the pounding of the last lines of each stanza. Like a dream that won't break. A tortured repetition.

Such an impossible squeeze of images to endure. The paintings, and chains. The heights, and gravity. I hope the dream bursts open, and this character finally awakes to a truth lighter than air.

Betty Manousos said...

I loved the "slave to gravity,.. and the photo
That is an inspiring one.
Have a great weekend!
xx

Nevine Sultan said...

Suzy - "In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse." Balm for my soul. Do you know that I once made my husband stand in line with me in front of Westminster Abbey for almost 4 hours in the pouring December rain so I could visit the memorial of T.S. Eliot? We never made it inside; I felt sorry for my poor husband after such a long wait. But one day I'll make it there. And when I do... I don't know what I'll do. Probably burst out crying!

She Poet - Do we dare? If we don't we surely stand to lose. Thank you, She Poet. :)

Jason - I was sort of going for a rhythm, but I didn't want for it to be a rhyming rhythm. I'm happy it came through.

Betty - Thank you so much, and the same to you!

Rikkij said...

Nevine- a really wonderful write. Waltz? yes. words come to mind. coy, demure, lead push, follow, reach, dare, grin. it read to me as two peoplecross legged on floor deep eye penetrating. Loved it. ~rick

Amias (ljm and liquidplastic) said...

Nevine, I love the way you express your thoughts, experiences, or your "mishmash" as you put it.

Your writing is so refined, profound, and inspiring. On my way up on the stairs of life, whether in a dream or reality, I fall before I can make it to the top. I am raw in all things, and I think this is what I am a slave to -- the rawness of life and falling.

I find it very difficult to write about what I haven't experienced, yet I find myself in some of your pieces --- with blinders off, I smile to myself, maybe on this journey I will not fall -- this journey of understanding that in most of our lives there are more questions than answers.

"do i know you
do i know you
do i know
do i do i"


.. yes, I believe you do.

Sahildeki Ev said...

I love reading your poems. This one is also very beautiful

Nevine Sultan said...

Rick - You always have an interesting perspective!

Amias - I'm with you on the falling before you make it to the top. I think many of us experience that. But think about the fact of being at the top - once you're there, you can only go back down. I just always hope for the best on my climb, and that if I fall I won't get too badly hurt. Thank you, Amias. Your words touched my heart.

Turquoise - I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thank you!

Akasha Savage. said...

What a beautiful poem. I loved it Nevine.

bard said...

This stirs and stimulates on so many levels... I love both the image, and the imagery. Well done.

Nevine Sultan said...

Akasha - Thank you for coming by, and for your sweet comment. :)

Bard - I'm humbled. Thank you very much!

Catherine Vibert said...

Just gorgeously rendered. It felt like rain falling on an impressionist dream.

joaquin carvel said...

love how this is disjointed in all the right places - breathless - like it's being panted rather than spoken. "frantic but shy" - exactly! and the turn of "glint of cheek / of rock of stone" is perfect.

Nevine Sultan said...

Catvibe - Welcome! And thank you for the lovely comment.

Joaquin - "...panted rather than spoken." That makes me smile - exactly what I was hoping to bring across. Thank you!

A Cuban In London said...

I won't ask you where your inspiration came from. That would be like asking fish why they swim. But if HE exists, I would urge him to get in touch, pronto.

This was sublime:

'of all my dreams
no dream like this
such sweet release
on vagrant stairs
i chant your name
i worship i cry

walking up
on painted walls
legs in chains
scaling perimeter
skirting beam
the ears the eyes

closed eyes
hurt eyes
of heart of mind
my legs in pain
frantic but shy
to reason to stop

your image teases
glint of cheek
of rock of stone
petrifies defies
my discipline my agony
my devotion'

Greetings from London.

PS: Radio Paradise is playing 'Sympathy for the Devil' :-)

GYPSYWOMAN said...

OMG - truly truly mesmerizing - there is no doubt we are sisters of the same spirit! love your work, lady! these words are brilliant! and thank you so much for following along over at my places - namaste' - jenean

Haley said...

I so love reading everything you write. Yes, I have been away awhile dealing with some of my own demons, but im back, and i have missed your writings oh so much!

Nevine Sultan said...

Cuban - Those good old Rolling Stones... an apt song, I must say. And I love Radio Paradise!!! As for "HE", my true HE is already in touch, and all the other HEs and SHEs and ITs are figments of the imagination, there for writing and creating. It's so cool to dream and imagine... Thanks for stopping in, Cuban! :)

Gypsywoman - I'm happy you liked this. The dream world is what's mesmerizing, and I love to live in it and float, and become inspired. Thank you for coming by.

Haley - It's a pleasure to have you back. Yes, it has been a while. But I'm glad you're back on board. And thank you for swinging by.

Renee said...

Nevine come over I am having a giveaway.

Love Renee xoxo

Betty Manousos said...

There's a post on a famous photographer in my blog today.
I'd appreciated it if you can go through it.
hugs hugs

GYPSYWOMAN said...

hey lady - just dropping by to see what's new and exciting at your place - oh, and while i think of it, if you get a chance, check out gypsywomanworld and the sacred forest of the snow tiger - would love to see what you think!
have a glorious day!

Renee said...

'my cards two-faced; my arms no-handed.'

Brilliant.

Love Renee xoxo

Woman in a Window said...

Nevine, I have to say I read it twice, the second aloud, and that allowed me to hear what it was you were saying. It is trancelike. Love the repetition. And I too love to dream of trains.

(I'm well. Thanks for asking. Life is full and blogging is getting moved two steps back for me but I'm glad I came to read you here.)
xo
erin

Nevine Sultan said...

Erin - I'm glad to know you're well. Life is happening to all of us, but I do know that it somehow finds a way to remind us of itself, sometimes gently, and sometimes not so gently. I appreciate your coming by while blogging is on your backburner. I really do.

Anonymous said...

To dream of a dream like so and see those images in my mind's eye, so clearly.I am so liking this, you.

Nevine Sultan said...

Thank you, Sarah. I truly appreciate your comment.