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Friday 22 July 2011

Night

(A response to Poets United's prompt "Nighttime".

It is not darkness, nor a lack of light,
this substance night, this quite substantive thing.
It seeps in through the skin,
and has a body that the body craves,
a mind the mind adores -
this sable cloak the heavens wear

and wrap around to warm us inwardly.
But it is more than these:
a switch that nature throws,
a change of mode, an altered state
in which we're newly made.
We're one floor closer to ourselves,

nearer the heart of things.
The senses thrive; the eyes,
which should feel starved, rejoice.
As by the finest music or great love
we reach our dream state, pull the plug
on life, for super-charged realities.

15 comments:

Misterio Vida said...

"and has a body that the body craves,
a mind the mind adores"

Fantastic :)

kaykuala said...

That is right. These are nights 'a change of mode ,an altered state' and many more. Great verse!

Louise said...

Splendid Dave - some really provoking lines - Great one!

Scarlet said...

Your poem really flows smoothly...

You made the nighttime a creative and elemental wonder with these words:

a switch that nature throws,
a change of mode, an altered state
in which we're newly made.
We're one floor closer to ourselves,
nearer the heart of things.

Lovely share~

Brother Ollie said...

nearer the heart of things.
I like this line - great focus.

Lolamouse said...

Exactly!!!

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love night Dave. Although I am rather scared of the dark, I love that silky black feeling that rests the eyes and calms the soul.

Unknown said...

These last two lines are the most powerful, most evocative of image and experience:
we reach our dream state, pull the plug
on life, for super-charged realities.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Such a wonderful write! I love your take on night.

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is lovely! It evokes the aura of nighttime so well. Especially love "the eyes, which should feel starved, rejoice." :)

hedgewitch said...

Your association in the opening stanza of like but slightly different words together in the same phrases is neatly done, I thought. Also some stand-out lines and images, like "a switch..' and "one floor closer.." Night is for writing, thinking, losing the limits day enforces; all that and more is in the mood of this piece. Enjoyed it.

Windsmoke. said...

A apt description of nightime that flowed along nicely :-).

Dave King said...

Muhammad Israr
A warm welcome, friend, and many thanks for your visit and your comment.

Kaykuala
Thanks for such an encouraging comment.

120 Socks
Thank you for another very kind response.

Heaven
Thank you very much for your generous comments. Good to know you liked it.

Old Ollie
Another very encouraging and useful piece of feedback. Thank you.

Lolamouse
Total agreement? Wonderful, if so!

The Weaver of Grass
Perfectly expressed. Yes, I'm with you!

Kim
Hi and a warm welcome to you. Thank you for your visit and the valuable feedback.

Sherry Blue Sky
Good to have your visit and your thoughts. Good, too, to know you liked the poem. Thank you.

thisgirlremembers
Welcome. Thank you for visiting and for stopping by to comment. Your thoughts are very much appreciated.

hedgewitch
A warm welcome to the blog and my thanks for your generous comments. Most valuable. It's really good to know that you enjoyed it.

Windsmoke
Much thanks. for the useful comment.

lucychili said...

lovely feeling in this

Dave King said...

lucychili
Much appreciate the comment. Thanks.