Palinode (soubasse)
In the land of two-dollar mornings, those things
we barely sense take precedence: uncaressed
skin sheathed in ivy, the punctuation mark diverting
power. Insidious corn, the cries of distressed trees
(cavitation in the xylem), soubasse, the ghost note,
prickling from below. Singularity. The appointee’s
hubris. The defining weight of a zero’s center.
A zero’s center defines emptiness, meaning nothing,
or, diverted light, a vacuum. Regard plenum: an air-filled
space, or a complete gathering of a legislative body. And
how did we arrive here from there? From the body we
compose units of measure: an ell, digit, fathom, the mile’s
thousand paces. I expose film to light, concealing yet
establishing a rational point.
Concealing the point implies position without extension,
a moment shedding its cracked sheath and giving rise
to the divine: above, below, male and female, hot or
cold. Reconciliation. A plateau. The still place linking the
infinite to the open hand, limitless black. Burning, I
calculate oxidation and dispersal, tendrils, a flaxen leaf,
its proposition to endings.
This first appeared, in slightly different form, in ditch, in January 2014.
O at the Edges 
I will return to this one repeatedly, Bob, as in reading it initially I felt as I typically do with your work: So rich, so textured, so deserving of further attention and contemplation. Beautiful.
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Thanks, Cate. Then I have done my job!
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I like this very much, it resonates with my zen persona! Thanks Robert
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Glad you like it, Tony. Thanks very much.
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“A zero’s center defines emptiness, meaning nothing,
or, diverted light, a vacuum. ”
Appreciating this line… 🙂
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Thank you, Jo. I can’t seem to escape zero.
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I sometimes feel that way also… I wonder if that 0 can be replaced by any.other means?
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It’s too powerful to be replaced.
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It is what it isn’t. Hah!
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Beautiful poem, Robert, and I enjoyed your 30/30 Tupelo Press participation, as well, in addition to discovering new artists there. Thank you!
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Thanks, Randy. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the poem and the 30/30 Challenge, too. August was a fun month, but I’m still getting caught up with life!
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I can imagine!!! I think I would’a cracked!
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Writing the poetry is the easy part. The administrative work – keeping track of all of the details (donor incenties, correspondence, etc.) is rather time-consuming. But it is rewarding in its own way.
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“In the land of two-dollar mornings…” what a great line!! いいですよ!
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I was having a difficult time expressing a certain vague feeling, and that line popped out. It captured what I wanted to say. Wish that happened more often. 🙂
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Well, whatever you are not saying, I know that what is being said is pretty damn great!
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Your writing has such an unreal energy, it takes me right into meditation. For kicks I did a split screen on my computer and juxtaposed these paragraphs to pictures from the Voynich Manuscript. They only heighten the aura of mystery.
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Now that’s interesting – I never would have thought to pair the two. Hmm.
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It was easy. Your poetry has meaning. The Voynich Manuscript HOPEFULLY, PRESUMABLY has meaning. It just seemed like a good idea at the time….
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I, for one, would love to know what the Voynich Manuscript says!
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I tried a bit; it’s a path to madness!
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I have enough of those paths (but it is so tempting)!
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This is lovely!!
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Thanks very much.
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My head hurts but I’ll re- read till more than just individual words make sense (it’s me, not you Bob). Regardless, it has pulled in to care enough to want to think it over . May I please have an extension to allow the concealed points to be revealed? 😊
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An extension? An EXTENSION! Well, okay. Just this once. But please remember, it really is all about ME! And if not, it should be. 🙂
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Oh dear. Not sure what to say here. I’ll just show myself out…all the best with world domination etc.
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Ha! I can’t even dominate my backyard!
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😂 The agave triumphs?
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Not the agave, but just about everything else!
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We have a Patterson’s Curse plantation going on here. Back to the poem though, I shall revisit this weekend 🙂
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🙂
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Not sure what the emoji is? 😮
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Smiley face? Or Typo Face?
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Typo face! That’s what it was!
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to centre a zero gives you a circumpunct which is a concept as awesome as the concept of zero itself……..your work is wild.
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Zero is such a fascinating subject! And thanks for your kind words.
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Zero was the name of one of my favorite bands !!
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🙂
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