written for the Defining Poetry contest---a stairway to heaven |
Assumption I raise a cone of power a solitary witch, ancient, anarchic palms, third eye, sacrum slick with holy chrism spiraling heavenward my heart splinters into time confetti to be whisked away. ** Image ID #1466165 Unavailable ** Written for:
I chose this week's contemporary poet Jean Valentine as the inspiration for week 3's entry. Annunciation by Jean Valentine I saw my soul become flesh breaking open the linseed oil breaking over the paper running down pouring no one to catch it my life breaking open no one to contain it my pelvis thinning out into God I was caught by the brevity and intensity of her poem Annunciation and was moved as well by her other poems and their dream-like imagery. Her juxtaposition of the Annunciation of St. Mary as both a specific religous image and yet a personal one as well is transcendent. I loved the imagery of the oil and the breath taking last line, "my pelvis thinning out into God".....she has captured the terror and wonderment that Mary must have felt at the angel Gabriel's visit, as well as our own wonderment when we are visited by grace and God. In my poem I chose to use another significant moment from Mary's life---her assumption into heaven at the time of her death, and hoped also to make a more personal statement. |