This is a reading of a love sonnet "In the Eyes of Your Desire, Would You...?" accompanied by the piano piece "Danse Bohémienne" by Debussy. The video is of the Spanish sea crashing against the rocks to set the mood and the painting is Ekval's "Fisherman and The Siren".
The poem had its origins in a dream I had a few days ago (edit: it only occurs to me now that this must have coincided with hurricane Irene in the U.S. which I was not really aware of). There were two seemingly opposing aspects to the dream: "erotic passion" and "the bailing out of water", and my intention over the following days was to try to work some alchemy out of these two base emotions which I realize afterwards to be simply love and fear. I would hope that the result is gender-neutral so the voice of the poem could be either male or female, depending on how we would like to imagine it, and not necessarily one or the other. Perhaps something is lost because of this wish to universalize, but I feel I must. No doubt there is room for further improvement... and exploration... and any ideas are most welcome!
In the Eyes of Your Desire, Would You...?
On siren rocks, worn down by cruel seas,
Would you nestle, head arched back, chest bare,
Tempting Fate your carnal lust to please?
Should your longing rise with body fair,
Would you turn away or would you seize
The moment and no seduction spare?
When passion's grip leaves you gasping air,
Would you try to run with shuddering knees
Or would you stay and your passion share?
If you sense your yearning is a tease,
Would you, with wet hands, brush back the hair,
Unveil each round breast and firmly squeeze?
Would you in Love's consummation dare
Stake your life, your all, for Beauty's care?
—okei
The poem had its origins in a dream I had a few days ago (edit: it only occurs to me now that this must have coincided with hurricane Irene in the U.S. which I was not really aware of). There were two seemingly opposing aspects to the dream: "erotic passion" and "the bailing out of water", and my intention over the following days was to try to work some alchemy out of these two base emotions which I realize afterwards to be simply love and fear. I would hope that the result is gender-neutral so the voice of the poem could be either male or female, depending on how we would like to imagine it, and not necessarily one or the other. Perhaps something is lost because of this wish to universalize, but I feel I must. No doubt there is room for further improvement... and exploration... and any ideas are most welcome!
In the Eyes of Your Desire, Would You...?
On siren rocks, worn down by cruel seas,
Would you nestle, head arched back, chest bare,
Tempting Fate your carnal lust to please?
Should your longing rise with body fair,
Would you turn away or would you seize
The moment and no seduction spare?
When passion's grip leaves you gasping air,
Would you try to run with shuddering knees
Or would you stay and your passion share?
If you sense your yearning is a tease,
Would you, with wet hands, brush back the hair,
Unveil each round breast and firmly squeeze?
Would you in Love's consummation dare
Stake your life, your all, for Beauty's care?
—okei
Oh, dear Jamintoo, this is completely enchanting.
ReplyDelete:) Thanks Catherine!!!
ReplyDeleteindeed ... what would one give ?
ReplyDeletewhat would one venture ?
and at what cost ?
~
beautiful
:)
Beautiful! Rapturous! Love it! :)
ReplyDeleteLoved it and am in awe of your ever-evolving video creating abilities! Do! Dare! Bare! :)
ReplyDeleteAh, Tamara, you've nailed it! Thanks for helping to clarify for myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carrie, now that's a nice word "Rapturous!" :)
Hille, really glad you enjoyed!
And... oooooooooh... would i?...
ReplyDeleteUhmmmm... maybe... i wouldn't? Sometimes, the most beautiful things are those we cannot take for ourselves... and yet, we can appreciate.
Passionate! *smile*
That's why you and I write poetry Jach! ;-) But the questions had to be asked... and it's not the same question, maybe it's an ascent from hypocritical Stoicism to honest hedonism to true romantic love that I want to capture. And the latter does not lie down...it stands up, withstands, stays, reaches for infinity.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully lush combination of elements here. I have made some videos too, I admire what you've done. You can really feel the passion in the poem.
ReplyDeleteAs for the question, I've tempted fate and gave in and it was a catastrophe, so for now, I'd run. :)
Thanks Catherine... and I'm sorry you've had bad experiences. This is exactly it... as they say, "be careful what you wish for"... and I heard a quote the other day: "the things we regret most in life are usually the things we once longed for." <--- not sure if this is true, would need to think more of examples/counterexamples of this. And on the flip-side longing as a sign of deeper purpose... if we can make the space for that purpose to find us...
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm not sure what I long for. This was just a writing-out of a feeling...