Saturday, August 27, 2011

In the Silent Hour When Sleep Holds (Poem)

In the Silent Hour When Sleep Holds

In the silent hour
when sleep holds you

to the line between being
and not, the questioner is

hardest, every change of voice
— cajoler, denier, berater,

pleader, wonderer,
broker — having its way

with you, the babel filling
what space the mind

wants to leave open
to let you play the one

you are against the one
you were or could be.

At your strongest
the arguer softens

the tongue, concedes
control; at your weakest

you show no face. Come
morning, the hollows

of your eyes pinked red
declare who won or lost.

© 2011 Maureen E. Doallas
______________________________

I offer this poem for today's prompt at dVerse Poets Pub: Third Eye Open.

18 comments:

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

How beautiful.. The affect: the bargainer, she who struggles with the known/not known - being/not being of living on that edge-- potent and lyrical, Maureen. xxxj

Brian Miller said...

the babel fills the mind playing who you are against who you were or could be...excellent line as it captures a feel that i think is universal in that moment...

Claudia said...

and a merciless questioner he is..you capture that conversation so well in moments when we're so unarmed...love the ending with the hollow of eyes pinked red measuring our success..

Anonymous said...

you deepen my desire to read you out loud.. x love it..

ps stay safe.

California Ink in Motion said...

Thought provoking poem. My take on it is the rambling in one's head at 3 in the morning. I have come to the point in my life that I have decided there is not much I can do at that hour, so I will deal with whatever is swirling around till morning.

Gret poem.

Glynn said...

The word that comes to mind is exquisite. Maureen, I continued to be awed by your command of language.

Victoria said...

Maureen, you allow me to remember that I am not alone in this crazy journey of life. I especially like the line: you are against the one
you were or could be.

So much to think about in this. And then when morning comes we are free of these useless mind games.

hedgewitch said...

True and serious, unstoppable but deliberately paced, walking the reader through a common phenomenon with uncommon grace and insight. Esp like the opening five couplets, though the poem is far too cohesive to be stronger in one place than another. Beautiful work.

lucychili said...

yes. night unravelling.
powerful.

Anonymous said...

I sense much control in your words.

Anonymous said...

the questioner is

hardest, every change of voice
— cajoler, denier, berater,

pleader, wonderer,
broker — having its way

So apt and you say it all with grace. Thank you for taking us along in the questioning.

Beachanny said...

What a deep and probing poem. Analytical and lyrical at once. The ego, id, and superego at work and at war in the world of dreams. The choices we make by day haunt our dreams where various and alternate realities enact themselves. Fascinating really, taut, and brilliant.

Ruth said...

The worlds of the mind are full of babel speak, but your poem is not, in its spare economy of language, quite perfect for its theme.

Tashtoo said...

This plays out in my room every restless night! You have captured it so well...a wonderful write!

Louise Gallagher said...

Absolutely! Exquisite!

A powerful write.

Patricia said...

this was amazing... your words capture that inner conversation and the enemys' m.o. perfectly. I am deeply moved and read this many times. Thank you.

Ed Pilolla said...

i was just remarking that my eyes will reveal to all today that i didn't get much sleep last night. i normally look like a raccoon but some days i just look like i'm sleep walking.
from cajoler to broker. that's good manipulation:)

signed...bkm said...

I know all these visitors at the silent hour...always hoping sleep is the winner....can so relate..bkm