The watchful eye of the bleeding heart moon
turned amethyst,
her vellum glowed in its gaze—
a canvas for creatures of prey.
Black sand morphed white on her toes,
confectioners’ sugar
to said creatures
making them voraciously bay.
Storm clouds rained dirt
for moments turned years
while she learned to make bloodcastles
with hellbowls of tears.
Sorry for what they’d done,
treacherous birds of root
flew from her tormented refrain
to nest and to watch from beaches of soot.
A pièce de résistance complete
in its unfinishing,
thus, she set off to hunt prey of her own.
She tortured a few, but could kill only time,
true more to herself than a rule.
She’d only been waiting on setting cement,
and Prince Charming’s repent
for having left her alone in the light of such an encouraging
moon.
Copyright © 2013 Jennifer Wagner
Linking up to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads for Open Link Monday and OpenLinkNight at dVerse Poets Pub.
This was a fun and interesting poem. Dashed be the Prince Charming that left her alone in the light of such an encouraging moon. Love the encouraging moon.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it Judy, thank you.
DeleteEvery line of this is a revelation. "hellbowls of tears"? Beaches of soot? Get out. And then that arch ending. I love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Shay!
DeleteAll sorts of things I envisioned... read it three times and I'm not sure I understand it, but it is haunting, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Margaret!
DeleteI think she's waited long enough for the lout.
ReplyDeleteSomehow in my reading I could imagine this happening in early England.
..
ha...amen! hmm...early England, I like that.
DeleteBlack sand morphed white on her toes,
ReplyDeleteconfectioners’ sugar
to said creatures
making them voraciously bay....really like that bit as it sets the tone of this for me...really moving closure as well...him leaving her alone under the moon....which is pretty amazing tonight i might add...
Always nice to enjoy an amazing moonlit night...thank you Brian!
DeleteWow. This rewards multiple readings. Such an atmospheric piece with amazing imagery of darkness. I really loved this.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your compliments David, they mean a lot!
DeleteSo much going on here - and great atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteThank you sir anthony!
Deleteyou win my heart every time i visit you...
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely compliment...thank you so much!
Deletewhile she learned to make bloodcastles
ReplyDeletewith hellbowls of tears...oh wow..love the intensity of this..
Glad you do Claudia!
DeleteStorm clouds rained dirt
ReplyDeletefor moments turned years
while she learned to make bloodcastles
with hellbowls of tears....great lines here, intense and captivating. Love this.
Thank you very much ayala!
DeleteI too loved the idea of moments turned years and your use of compound words to such great effect.loved it.
ReplyDeleteAbin, your compliments mean a lot to me, thank you.
DeleteConfectioner's sugar sand... sooty beaches... you compare and contrast and carry us steadily to that last surprising stanza.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/02/26/intensity-toward-blue/
Thanks for reading and commenting on it Kim.
Deletethe travels of a fairy tale made into poetry. beautifully written and thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for that Tracy.
DeleteNothing worse than to be left alone when the moon is working its magick...fantastic tale
ReplyDeleteThanks much Natasha!
DeleteStorm clouds rained dirt
ReplyDeletefor moments turned years
I love these lines - sums up days and feelings
Thanks for saying so Mametz.
DeleteThat "hellbowls of tears" grabbed me too...powerful, a dark fairy tale for sure...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting Bodhirose.
DeleteEnjoyed this from start to finish, how you drew me in with the 'bleeding heart moon' to set the tone, then your rich interesting use of language.... 'til the final line and the hope it offers with the 'encouraging moon."
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed it WabiSabi, it means a lot that you did!
DeleteWhoa - this grabbed me and would not let go - so many vivid images and juxtapositions - all of them fascinating and enigmatic ... love "bloodcastles" and that she "tortured a few" and "treacherous birds of root" to name a few ... excellent work.
ReplyDeletehttp://aleapingelephant.blogspot.ca/2013/02/the-trees-stand-watch_26.html
I so appreciate your compliments S.E. Your words are encouraging!
DeleteSo many great lines.... hellbowls of tears, I just adore that. Great sense of mystery, loss, longing, very magical.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that Kelly, thank you!
Deleteoh my. the title itself deserves applauds, Jennifer. a very tight and effective nocturnal imagery captured my heart as i enjoyed to read and re-read it. 'she learned to make bloodcastles
ReplyDeletewith hellbowls of tears' and 'encouraging moon' are fantastic..and many more lines actually. i just love what you've done with language here, pure magic.
Wow Yelena...your opinion really means a lot to me, so thank you for such lovely words!
DeleteA tragic princess, I think, "waiting on setting cement" she did not wish to wait on.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you are right!
DeleteVery dark atmosphere but i do love this...
ReplyDelete"while she learned to make bloodcastles
with hellbowls of tears." Lines that stay in the memory.
'Dark' was definitely intended...thanks Di.
Delete"She tortured a few, but could kill only time"
ReplyDeletePOWERFUL
I'm glad you found it so Keith!
DeleteWhat an enchanting piece! Such a wonderful play with words and I love the sense of a dark fairytale theme. Superb!
ReplyDeleteLisa, your thoughts on it mean so much, thank you!
DeleteGreat, visual piece...
ReplyDeleteThank you Stan.
Deletewatch and wait...is all the moon can do! with a little given to vampire instincts, i may say, to add to the dark shadows, created so well here adding to the milieu!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Akila.
DeleteToo powerfull and dark imagery....dark enough to haunt the reader for hours...read it thrice to grasp as much as i can...:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Sadia.
Deletesounds like mayhem =)
ReplyDeleteMetaphorically speaking of course :)
Delete