BENEATH THE MIRRORED SURFACE

There is a lake just north of here with magic

Hidden deep beneath its glossy plane

So cleverly disguised is it, one might pass it by

To do so would be sad I guess, not tragic

But a chance missed all the same

To slide inside another world, who would not try

It is after all a lake just, and not at all pelagic

And once discerned the demarcation like a frame

Will pull apart allowing one to slip in and thereby

Entering an upside down town takes adjusting quick

But the enchantment is such you'll be glad you came

In fact it will be hard for you to think of saying good-bye

It's so calming beneath the surface in the town with no name

It's like Atlantis - a place to visit - a place beyond the flame

Samuel Peralta's in charge at dVerse tonight and well worth the visit just for the plethora of info on sonnets and variations on the form (only one of which I've tried to follow with the Trireme sonnet) - he also details some words on ekphrastic poetry, one of my favourite forms and gives a great example using one of his own poems from a new project he's collaborating on...hop on over to dVerse and check it out.

LEONARD COHEN CAME HERE (after Alexandra Leaving)

Unexpectedly the prince of poetry came here

It was as if by wishing it, I had made it so

On stage a seeming apparition, the man he did appear

Replete with all his words, and his beautiful old soul

He stood in spot lit adoration and sang each song

With perfect modest tone and mild aplomb

Was glorious beyond my wildest hopes, all night long

Wrapped us all in warmth and held each one of us in his palm

It was not magic, it was not imagination, it was real

I knew I'd wake the next morning still floating on the sound

It felt as if every time he looked up, each note was just for me to feel

Each song selection picked with me in mind, how easily I was found

And even though I'm sure the rest of the audience thought

That he was singing for them and them alone

I didn't care, let them have their foolishness, if sought

I knew for whom he was there singing; for me, let it go unknown

As shocked as I was that he actually came here

I almost forgot to relax and take the wondrousness of him in

He pours his soul, his heart and all his being into every piece

It was like receiving communion without committing original sin

And spending such a sacred time within that space

Bathed completely by words and sound and spirit of a kind

When on stage, the seeming apparition, the prince of poetry

He played to all of us with inexhaustible verve and brilliance of mind

And even though I'm sure the rest of the audience thought

That he was singing for them and them alone

I didn't care, let them have their foolishness, if sought

I knew for whom he was there singing; for me, let it go unknown

As shocked as I was that he actually came here

I almost forgot to relax and take the wondrousness of him in

He pours his soul, his heart and all his being into every piece

It was like receiving communion without committing original sin

To anyone who is mystified by my adulation

There are no words of mine to justify it more than these

I am in awe and I guess I always will be

Leonard Cohen came here, if you please

Oh yeah - I am in awe and I guess I always will be

My hero Leonard Cohen came here, yes he did, if you please

 (written the day after seeing L.Cohen in concert Nov.19,2012)

                                                                      

JUDGE NOT

In open court, the rancor

Rose like a plume

Bathing all present

With the vitriolic terms

Being tossed liked poisoned darts

Between the plaintiffs

More than once, the judge's gavel

Slammed as his face turned coral

And he demanded order

Called for some civility

Mopped his brow dry

Before scrunching his hankie

Into a ball, shaking his head

Thankfully, incidents as bad as this

Were rare, he thought

Trying to follow the thread

Of the arguments

Wishing he could duck

Below the lectern

to where his open bottle

Of single malt scotch lay

Wondered vaguely how much

Of his term on the bench

Was left ...