Icy Fire

It was almost always never mentioned.

That lasting moment of frozen liquid lighted darkness.

The forever void that I have forgotten to remember.

That first-last decreasing increase of love’s hate.

Looking blindly, I heard the sight of you as me

And numbly felt the icy fire of your frowning smile.

It was almost surely our divorcing union that I imagined realistically.

Then sadly happy, I stole my gift of a bright sunlit midnight and disappeared in plain sight.

Falling upwards as birds walked by, I climbed down from my lowly perch.

It was a costly free-fall. I paid for your termite like fascination with boring.

I lead the following silent rant into the outwardness of our inwardness,

which was mainly of little consequence, as we were always never us,

but a conglomerate of single happening wishes, glorifying the mundane.

Snows of August were lost when found and never within the outer confines did they reach melt lines of frozen tea cubes for belly wraps.

The orderly chaos cried dusty clear rain waves as I regrettably enjoyed nothing but the stupendous frivolity of your brilliant, dull hair.

Beginning my leave toward the past, I looked back at my future, confused,

I dreamed in nightmares, wrestling demonic boxing angels in holy hell smoking.

It was clearly a foggy misunderstanding of enlightenment and

I energetically, rested…Awomen, Amen.

Richard Lynn Livesay 29,000

Comments: 19

Sandre M. Nov 4, 2009, 12:07pm EST

It reminds me of the argument that the opposite of love is not hate but indifference. I'm still digesting this piece, but it rings so true it may take me a while to grasp all of it.

Richard Lynn Livesay Nov 4, 2009, 12:33pm EST

Thank you Sandre, it is a juxtaposed poem filled with opposite meaning words that sometimes we confuse in our minds but usually reach for some middle ground.

reply to this comment

Dawn (a poet on the wall) Nov 4, 2009, 12:18pm EST

"I dreamed in nightmares, wrestling demonic boxing angels in holy hell smoking."

I've had those dreams before papa.

Richard Lynn Livesay Nov 4, 2009, 12:30pm EST

it is a thing of the past I hope and will be replaced with heavenly joy

Dawn (a poet on the wall) Nov 4, 2009, 10:53pm EST

you're right papa. it is the past.

reply to this comment

shara gardner Nov 4, 2009, 12:19pm EST

Such a beautiful way to express duality. We can't have one condition without the opposite to balance it and in that balance all is possible. I thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant work.

Richard Lynn Livesay Nov 4, 2009, 12:29pm EST

Shara, you have seen the yin and yang and know that balancing is the key to life. Thank you for your encouraging comments.

reply to this comment

Dano C. Nov 4, 2009, 2:04pm EST

Going up the down staircase,
I saw a darkness.
Unsure of his approach,
I stilled the light.
But from my busied perch,
I could only wrestle the night,
and close the door.

Restless mind,
restless eyes.
Midnight sets,
and the light approaches.

Your poem has more dream in it than mine. I sleep fairly well and the doors are now closed on my nightmares. Only my memories of them remain. Shadow wrestling is much easier than boxing.

Richard Lynn Livesay Nov 4, 2009, 2:41pm EST

May you enjoy the peace that passes all understanding
and rest in confidence.

reply to this comment

Karen E. Nov 4, 2009, 5:07pm EST

This had me off balance in a powerfully teaching way. Feeling like I could not settle into a thought, I was kept my mind open to the moment, the word or the phrase. Very good writing Richard. What a ride.

Karen E. Nov 4, 2009, 5:07pm EST

Oh, I love your new icon photo.

Richard Lynn Livesay Nov 4, 2009, 6:03pm EST

Hi, Karen. A silly thought of putting opposites together...kind of a brain tease. Thanks...sitting infront of the computer with my gorilla head that I kept.