Claudio Mufarrege's "The Arrow Shot"
You bind me
But your walls, your halls they cannot hold me
Body broken but the spirit
Rise, swimming in the deep
Recesses of the forgotten—
Mind: sole reality of prison
You forget, but this soul knows,
It reaches through your gray decay
And in the darkness spring forth wings
To flight, unknown, and I am nothing and no one
But here I am,
These halls
Are mine.
* Photography by Claudio Mufarrege, from her gorgeous photos and interview I conducted with her, as featured on One Stop Poetry.
The Waking Den 
What a line… “Mind: sole reality of prison / You forget,” as well as a reminder of binding physical walls, both in terms of institutional as well as gray matter(s). Also makes me think of poets taking ownership of their work (our insanity so to speak) treading the halls of our own creation. Kick ass job today, Chris!
Great One Shoot.
You forget, but this soul knows,
It reaches through your gray decay
And in the darkness spring forth wings
Absolutely wonderfully written…
Wysteria
A flight in the darkness…
’cause these dark halls are his own… 🙂
great work…
Oh I like that last….”i am nothing and no one, but here I am, these halls are mine.”
I’m nobody. Are you nobody, too?
Indeed I am. The question is: how does one define someone? How does one become?
Body broken but the spirit
Rise, swimming in the deep
Recesses of the forgotten —
Chris, what a beautiful yet haunting image. Good job. I love the photograph as well. Love all you poets who choose beautiful photographs to accompany your poems. It really sets the mood of the poetry.
Hope all is well. Talk soon.
~ C
Really strong bound but free. Was a beautiful image to write for.
Thanks for sharing
your walls can not hold me..this was really strong – and i am nothing and noone but here i am – i agree with adam – kick ass write today chris
Loved this, a triumph of spirit over physical body, over time and space, the poem a sort of coming to full circle…
But here I am,
These halls
Are mine.
When I read the final lines I heard my own spirit agree: Yes!
I like the first few lines, “You bind me, but your walls…halls cannot hold me…” how true. Our body may be bound, but hopefully nothing can bind our spirit.
a great write to go with a great picture prompt and top interview…well done today chris…hats off to you
You’ve identified the two essential elements of the photo — darkness (the hallways) and light (the figure) — and the freedom the light has even when confined in darkeness. Good poem.
(And that was a great interview with Claudio, by the way.)
I love the bound feeling of tension and yet there is freedom in “these halls are mine”
Nice prompt
Great shades of meaning in the poem and interesting take again from the photo. Loved the interview Chris. Thank you.
Gay @beachanny (hollyheir) …yes I have many names.