Pitch Black

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 18 Dec 2018
  • 1747 reads
6 comments
 

How often have you ‘seen’
full darkness of the night?
when sky is overcast,
no glow from city light?
    running, stumbling,
    helpless, humbling.

When blackness pierced through by a ray,
a shaft, a beam reveals the way,
relief, delight
and rescue from a miserable plight.

Thick curtains tightly drawn,
in unfamiliar home,
a power-cut, no torch,
surroundings all unknown.
    feeling, fumbling,
    frightened, grumbling.

What difference made when light shines in
erasing total darkness to begin
to see what is so near –
invisible becoming clear.

And insight flashing into dark and foggy mind
is like a glimpse of sight for one who’s blind.

 

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Philosophy
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Nolan on

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

A very good topic. You use excellent images they're not so quite so easy to understand though. We have had blackouts from most of the weekend the power came on again yesterday. So I understand too well. It is very inconvenient but it does seem this one was very localized.

& Nolan

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Somebody had been mentioning his folly as a young man, up in the Yorkshire Dales I think, going up an extra peak when he had no torch and getting caught on the way down in pitch blackness (overcast sky, no stars or moon visible, no glow from nearby artificial lights, I suppose). He coulnd't see his compass, or read the signpost, and had to stumble on in hopefully the right direction. Eventually, suddenly a light appeared from a farmer's quad bike, who then gave him a lift.

He said an experience like that does make you value light, and it's effect – and of course spiritually we see its meaning in our hearts, and as you say, the true light has come into the world and still shines and will do so. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi Rhiannon,

An inspired use of metaphor, Rhiannon. I thought it worked well and put your message across clearly!

Hilary    smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Hilary. Glad to know you thought so. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

It's so scary to imagine being stuck in complete darkness, and even worse if you're in a strange place, but they do say that your other senses kick in when you can't see. 

I have been caught in thick fog on Bodmin moor and that was very frightening, we had to spend the night sleeping on the moor because I was unable to drive any further...a very strange night indeed.

I agree with Hilary, and thought it worked well too.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

thought this was very good "helpless humbling" is exactly right. Remember going for late walks with dog in the past and thinking it would be ok, but under the trees losing the path and though being able to see nearest trees not knowing which way to go. And at home if the fuses go and it's totally black, immediately being lost and everywhere seeming huge. Great idea for a poem, brilliantly done