No martyr, in death
A shadow on a cave wall—
A symbol stretching.
Photo by and copywrite Rosa Frei, as acquired from last week's "One Shoot Sunday."
Just a Man
Lights erupt on
paved hearts and bloodbound screams,
the sound, the roar
breathless lines in broken
exposition—
no words to mark
the dust in the wind,
the starlit flag
where planes and concrete fell,
bodies gathered in the mass
scarlet bloom
the flower of a shadow
planted in the towers’ ash
strains to desert sun,
painted by the people’s rage–
rots, like any other.
* My latest contribution to One Shot Poetry Wednesdays, obviously inspired by recent events. The Senryu derived directly from my send off quote on the night of the terrorist Osama Bin Laden’s death, and “Just a Man” followed early this morning. Both pertain to symbols, to mortality, with “Just a Man” adopting an almost cautionary tone…and I hope they stir some thought in my readers.
The Waking Den 
The Senryu was particularly stirring for me. I could see the symbol on the cave wall stretching so far that it.vanishes and I think that is a fear shared by most. I enjoyed the rich symbols in “Just a Man,” how they blended effortlessly. “…painted by the people’s rage-/rots, like any other.” Has really got me wondering. The word rots…is that condemnation or jutification? Just my wandering thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
powerful and passionate chris..left me a bit dizzy with emotions and i felt the stretching in your words
Really beautiful.
a fitting write for the week…that the flower rots in the end, as do all i apropo…nice imagery chris and echoes of a sad day that will always remain in my heart…
this subject was heavy on my mind as well. this is quite stirring, and i think you did a wonderful job of expressing complicated emotions in a beautiful way.
“no words to mark the dust in the wind,” – good stuff
Beautiful! well done 🙂
So much feeling and understanding of life. Great job! …and said so well.
Your “Timely Senryu” sets an excellent tone with stark imagery. “Just a Man” …”the flower of a shadow / planted in the towers’ ash / strains to desert sun,” reminds me of shadow symbolism for death and burial. Within a barren climate, strain will fail. Life cannot be sustained with painted rage—that can only rot. Well said. An excellent write.
Dust in the wind – this image gave me chills; as we know so much of that dust was made up of them…
The way you stretched these words and images – symbols chosen so carefully – sand, blood blossom – it left no doubt how deep the emotions and how inevitable it is that one way or another – we become the sand and the dust. All that remains is what we chose to keep – be it hate or be it pride and love.
This piece is full of movement: physical, emotional, gegraphical and even philosophical. Remarkable work, Chris. Deep, full of respect and wisdom.
wonderful style of writing. glad to have visited 🙂
‘the flower of a shadow
planted in the towers’ ash
strains to desert sun,
painted by the people’s rage–
rots, like any other.’
So powerful and speaks to my heart
Thought provoking. Powerful.