The Visitor

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By london_calling79

Wed, 22 Jul 2015
  • 5323 reads
23 comments
 

Hola.
Soy El Otro.
¿Quizas debo charlar contigo en una lengua que entiendes?
¿Si?
Quizas no. No te importara.
Vale - empezamos de neuvo.[i]  
 
Hello again.
I am the Other.
 
I've been a few times now.
Amongst these incontinent walls I am
a familiar face whose voice you almost catch
whose words you almost grasp.
A shadow.
A sliver of grit in your thumbnail.
 
I have spoken in many sacrificed tongues,
led many mislaid lives.
Forgotten more than you will ever know.
 
Remember your beloved books?
Once one lamp lit up a thousand worlds.
Now each treasured letter fades to a horse-tail blur
on the blank firmament.
O lente, lente, curite noctis equi.[ii]

So apt is it not?
No. Thought not.
 
Those horses, they gallop in sunlight,
black swollen skins of fear.
The daydreams find you alone,
an echo,
bubble wrap in clumsy fingers,
a soft popping of cells.
 
You think you know me when I visit.
I've been there all along,
somewhere chewing at the greying edges.
A vulture picking at the herd
while you politely nod.

I'm going to alienate you.
Boil you down to silent bone
until you're kitten soft and baby pink.
Why?
Porque te envio.[iii]
Did you catch that?
Shall I repeat it for you?
No. Thought not.
 
They'll rise with a sigh, you know.
They always do, the ones you love.
They'll wait till you can't hear them say it,
thinking you'll forget
the parts of them they stuck
in parts of you.
And you will.
 
They'll do it.
I'll make them.
We'll do it together.
We'll leave you with nothing.
Nothing but the buzzing,
the grit and the pop.
There goes another one!
 
Oh, my sorry lost traveller.
I'll be with you to the end.
I'll hold your hand,
watch you melt and stain your chair.
Do you remember me?
And all we've done together?
Every embroidered memory?
Every time the visitor in the mirror called?
No.
Thought not.
 
Hola.
Soy el Otro.
Shall we start again?

 

[i] Hello.

I am the Other.

Perhaps I should chat to you in a language you understand?

Yes?

Maybe not. It won't matter to you.

Ok – let’s start again.

[ii] “Run softly, softly, horses of the night.”—Ovid’s Amores & Marlowe’s Dr Faustus.

[iii] ?

Certificate 12
Poem
New Set
Surreal
Miscellaneous
Love

Comments

Submitted by catherine poarch on

I think this is incredible. Bear is right, it needs to be reread again and I shall come back to it. The line 'once one lamp lit up a thousand worlds' is both a beautiful image and a sad reminder at the same time.

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you for the lovely praise catherine.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I don't understand all, but then it is a picture of disappearing comprehension, which I am very familiar with, having seen my father-in-law through dementia, and fading understanding, and anger at first, and then a letting go of that, and maybe less awareness of it. And seeing others as we visit. And mother-in-law suddenly lost her ability largely at short-term memory, and now that is going into a loss or confusion of past memories. And they seem to fade to a horse-tail blur themselves. 
But, I do think the horror is more with the watchers-on, there is maybe not enough awareness by then for any horror to remain for the sufferer. How much peace there is will depend on other factors, but as long as care can give comfort, even where there is a confused anger, I don't think there is so much awareness of what has gone, what has been lost. But yes, I suppose when a memory is stirred that cant be quite caught, either by a face, voice, or something said that seems half-familiar, that does cause some trouble, but it is usually fairly easy to distract from the worry I think.
Rhiannon

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

I've seen something similar happen to people close to me, Rhiannon. Glad to know that the distractions serve a purpose and lighten the load.

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

 I felt distanced and shut out from this - a deliberate technique of course for its content - and after a few reads, the language and dual voice works effectively at illuminating loss of memory and comprehension. Many years since I studied Faustus but the richness you've woven in to it is wonderful. It is steeped with isolation and loss. 

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank Vera: for the comment and for re-reading. I wanted the reader alienated somehow but I do worry I've done it too much or not enough. Faustus is a favourite of mine, alongside Tamburlaine.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

this is something to read and reread a few times which I've done - each reading reveals a new layer. It's very well done!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you so much insert. You have to invest something in this one to get anything from it and I'm thankful you spent the time!

 

Submitted by Bee on

Really well explored, and something so many can relate to.

Bee

Submitted by london_calling79 on

I wanted the familiar bee so very glad that came across. Thank you for commenting!

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Menacing and evocative.

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Menace. Just what I wanted! Thanks Phillip!

 

Submitted by love_writing on

It's been a while since I have read Dr Faustus - but it always stays with you as does this Lc. I read this first at 5am this morning and was blown away by it's dark 'devil-like' voice. It definitely is one to read over and over - you've created something really powerful, strong and most unique. 

love_writing

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you l_w - I think the idea popped into my head around 5am too! I'm beginning to worry that I can do devilish voices a bit too well!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you l_w - I think the idea popped into my head around 5am too! I'm beginning to worry that I can do devilish voices a bit too well!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you very mnuch to the cherry picker and to all of the lovely comments. So thankful that so many of you spent the time on this one. I know you're all busy, talented people so it means a lot!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

...very, very mnuch! (much to those who can spell)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day!

get a great reading recommendation every day

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Oh that's made my day! Thank you for the pick editors.

 

Submitted by celticman on

splendid and splenetic in all its gory truths. 

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Cheers Celt. Love it when you drop by. Had to look up splenetic though!

 

Submitted by Poette on

Very nice!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you!