Monday, March 27, 2017

Messenger


image from freeakingnews.com


Messenger

“Man is a messenger who forgot the message.”
--Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Balloon me to
the stars--a man
muttered,

but as I turned
to him,
his face inflated,

detached,
and ballooned
past me.

Above it
a comic book
balloon hovered,

saying--
the balloon 
in your heart valve
is bursting.


I knew it was a lie.


Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub Q44

23 comments:

De Jackson said...

I love that you've used the word in multiple ways here, Glenn. I can just see this. Great images, as always.

brudberg said...

What a surrealistic take on this... it's like a dream of sorts.

tonispencer said...

I understand completely. We received word that my mother's left ventricle has ballooned out and death can be at any moment - days, weeks....

indybev said...

A bit surreal, a lot clever, an end punch!

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Fantastic images here, Glenn ❤️

Frank Hubeny said...

I like the Heschel quote about a message one has forgotten and the ending about knowing it is a lie.

Kim M. Russell said...


A great take on the word 'balloon', Glenn. I like how you've explored the different forms and meanings. I can also see the surreal, particularly in:
'his face inflated,
detached,
and ballooned
past me.

Above it
a comic book
balloon hovered...'

Victoria Ceretto-Slotto said...

Yikes. Deconstructionism at its best, Monsieur Picasso. And Bjorn is right--surreal, too.

Amaya said...

Haha, Kafka- or Murakami-esque.

Grace said...

The message and surreal image of that man are frightening to me ~ Great uses of the balloon Glenn ~

Waltermarks said...

That's quite surreal, Glenn. The beautiful vision that turns to nightmare, a ghastly reality and very surprising, very good Glenn

Wolfsrosebud said...

A little sci-fi here. Interesting take on the Word.

Gayle Walters Rose said...

Definitely dreamlike, Glenn, and a little creepy. I'm glad it was a lie though.

Truedessa said...

This has a dream like quality, that disturbs me a bit. A premonition that will burst hearts into pieces with the reality of what is happening in the world.

Thotpurge said...

So many ways to use the word..clever!

Maria said...

I can see a lot of balloons floating around in this piece. Clever take!

Cedarwind said...

The sort of nightmare you want to be lucid about. Well done :)

Kathy Reed said...

A little scary but at the same time dreamy. Great use of the 44 words, which is not easy to do!

Maude Lynn said...

This is really cool!

Anonymous said...

Ballooned me elsewhere.

AnotherFearlessYear.net said...

I always love your quadrilles. They are unique. I especially love the comic book balloon in the middle of this, even if it was a lie.

Olga said...

The change in form of the messenger is a bit nightmarish; from one of reaching for the stars to leaving a message of an ominous ending. We all need to sift out the lies we are told. Sounds like a possible political statement.

Bekkie Sanchez said...

Nice!