Thursday, January 10, 2013

Alabaster Anthem



image borrowed from bing


Alabaster Anthem

“A photograph is always invisible, it is not
it that we see.”--Roland Barnes

The tall white stallion stood silver,
quivering with marbled milky muscle,
sporting an edelweiss blaze,
not completely white, but nearly,
more off-white, streaked gently
with pearl-brown trails,

standing proudly, regally, midst
a crisp white-day moment, milky fetlocks
shaggy-deep in blanco fluff,
whitish on white, the curly hair
of its long mane flecked with snowflakes,
shimmering like chrome sequins, 
its magnificent tail swishing
in the icy brightness,
neighing softly,
its hot breath puffing ivory steam clouds,
its right leg pawing at the snow
revealing a swath of golden hay beneath--
tail flicking, voice nickering, hoof crunching,
creating an equus concerto, barely
acknowledging the other;

a woman in a tight ermine snow suit,
neck wrapped thrice in a green & white scarf,
hood, blanched by white fur, up over
her festive knitted red & white woolen hat,
wearing stylish amber-tinted sunglasses,
holding a camera out from her lovely face,

clicking & clicking & clicking,
shooting fifty times,
the shutter clacking like a jazz drummer,
laying out a bitchin’ beat,
capturing barrel chest,
handsome head held high,
blue-pink eyes,
powerful thighs,
overlapping graceful lines;

there together,
he & her united
by art, poetry, imagery, creativity;
a tiny significant love-making
heating up an indifferent snowbank,
sultry stick figures in a frozen landscape,

perhaps
a magazine cover 
or highway billboard
in the making, sustenance
for her amusement & Muse,
a very social intercourse
in a barnyard,
without words
in that place
and in the twilight zone.


Glenn Buttkus

January 2013

Posted over on dVerse Poets MTB

Would you like to hear the author read this poem to you?

13 comments:

Claudia said...

what an encounter..in the twilight zone..i like the work on the opposites... and how they give each other the frame to blend into the picture...good work sir

Victoria said...

Oh my! This is breathtaking, Glenn. You've evoked so many sensory images. Great choice of title. Just everything about this is so pleasing.
Going back to read it again now!

Anonymous said...

Shazam! Man you have two females playing music, color n less, and breathtaking. I do like rhythms of life woven in and the social intercourse takes the cake. Loved it.

Anonymous said...

I didn't need the image, the words just conjured up an image in my mind that was right, just right, and in need of nothing more.

Brian Miller said...

very cool man....very interesting interaction between them....i like the interaction between them..all very easy to see....i like you allusions to intimacy as well in the end...

Anonymous said...

Love the interaction between them - and the way you call us to consider this from the horse's persepctive. We humans too easily forget that we are not alone on this planet...

Wolfsrosebud said...

great detail

Jeff said...

Beautifully written, the brightness hurt my eyes.

Laurie Kolp said...

Great with the visuals, Glenn...

Rich Laliker said...

Very Nice!

Rich

Frank Watson said...

Interesting contrast in images and changes in rhythm. I was reminded of two things in there, not sure if it's just me or an actual allusion. The feel of the opening lines reminded me of e.e. cummings:

All in green went my love riding
on a great horse of gold
into the silver dawn.

four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
the merry deer ran before.

The last mention of the Twilight Zone reminded me of an episode I saw years ago where two earthlings were traveling to Mars and found their hosts to be very accommodating, providing a nice apartment and food, but then the wall was lifted up and it was revealed to be a zoo.

Dave King said...

clicking & clicking & clicking,
shooting fifty times,
the shutter clacking like a jazz drummer,
laying out a bitchin’ beat,
capturing barrel chest,
handsome head held high,
blue-pink eyes,
powerful thighs,
overlapping graceful lines;

This is one tremendous stanza. It made a real impact on me.

Kathy Reed said...

your work is wonderfully detailed and captivating..i wasn't sure if these paragraphs were all one poem..or if the last paragraphs were separate from the first ..and who wouldn't love the image of the white horse in the snow?