THE TRUNK

The Trunk

Unbuttoned buttons

Falling out of an old trunk

Stuffed with mildewed lace

And blue ribbons barely

Holding together ancient love letters

Browned with age and turning to dust

At a touch

There, a faded photograph lies

'Neath cobwebby frames and old air

Remnants of a life long dead

A love still living in a distant past

I hear the sweetness of a tiny bit of violin

Muffled girlish laughter

Shoes with elaborate bows dancing dainty steps

As the face in the photograph looks down

From his towering height into shining blue eyes

A pocket watch with exquisite chain of gold

A lock of auburn hair inside a locket

A pressed flower so old, I cannot tell what it had been

A book of Keats, it's sanctuary

And a prayer book with a scribbled prayer in spidery hand

"Please, please, please, dear Lord

Let this be the night he asks me!"

Underneath a wedding veil, a Bible with crumbling cover

Inside, the marriage recorded for all the world to see

Oh, happy, happy day! She has written in bold letters

And I feel the joy and smile at her rejoicing

In a brocaded box, a baby's tooth, a curl tied with thread

A christening dress, what used to be a doll

With reverent hands I pull the items towards me

Breathe in the musty memories they eminate

And gently place them back inside the trunk

In the corner, stuck inside a seam, I see a picture

Creased and faded almost into non existence

The woman's blue eyes, still shining, still full of love

Sitting in a rocking chair, holding a doll

As though it was her sole salvation

No gown of yellow adorned her frame

And I could not hear the violin's tender trill

But I knew that it was her

And for a moment, it flashed into my mind

That she could see me seeing her

See me holding the remnants of her life

Celebrating her little victories

And great, great losses

Now silently announced by the ugly black dress

And by an unspeakable sorrow on a yet young face

"I'm so sorry." I whisper

And close the trunk in slow retreat

Passing an ancient mirror standing like a portal

To another world in that dusty, forgotten attic

I catch a glimpse of my own face surrounded by untidy curls

With similar eyes and inherited sadnesses

It is her face there staring back at me

"It is our face." I think and touch my rounded belly

With a new mother's hands

Perhaps, it'll be her face, too. And I'll bring her here

To see where she came from, how strong the genes imparted

How thick the blood, how deep the love that survives the sorrow

Down through the ages

And imprinted on the cherished things she touched

Almost disintegrated now

But living still

Inside that dusty trunk.

©by Voo

May 14, 07

3 p.m.

VALLEY OF PROUD MEN

 Valley of Proud Men

Sorrowed down

In the dirt of an unbloomed rose

I seek the light of a moon so weak

It cannot lift it's head.

What made me think

        I could find my way

Out of

This treacherous valley?

Where blood and bone

Have gone to ash

And dreams

Have turned to dust?

I hear the cries of moaning men

Their specks of life 

Snatched up by dogs

And buried under ground.

The whispers of the Old Ones rise

In the mouths of angry crows

And when they fly, the sky turns black

Like an endless, celestial sea.

I am an apparition now

Not dead or alive, not breathing breath

The ghosts of bison run me down

And the wolves devour my heart.

See them roaming

The tired brown earth?

Looking for flesh

        Of tired proud men?

The proud men 

Are all gone now

They live in memory

On the eyelids of the dead.

This is the place of massacre,

The land of boiling blood,

The resting place of those

Who cannot rest in death.

And I, you ask me, who am I?

I am the future that never was

The yesterday that died unborn

And the tomorrow that never came.

I am the nightmare

And eyeless vision,

Bitter water pooling forth

From the chasms of the earth.

Searching for the tall, green corn

And drums that beat for dancing

Riding on the backs of beasts

That no longer dare to fly.

I am the voice of children, silenced

And the howl of wolves, unheard

I am the desolation falling

That blankets out the sun.

Ride with me, my angry crow!

My hungry dog, my empty bow!

Ride with me on the bones of steeds

        Lying buried in the dust.

The mountains taunt me with their crowns

Stretching arms of evergreen

Point to splendor on their peaks

        Made virgin white with snow.

Calling me with teasing smile

To stand and walk the walk of men

The talking trees command me Come

And cool my fever with singing wind.

And I reach forth my eager hands

As seasons change and crawl away

Again and again seeking reprieve 

Touching my lips to the face of the sky.

The horse neighs,

The crow caws, the dog growls and sighs

As over and again, 

My hands fall to my side.

For the valley won't let me go

The valley won't let me go

I'm the shadow in the valley

Of the shadow of Death

And the valley won't let me go.

©by Voo

June 28, 10

7 p.m.

SEDUCTION IN PALE GLOW

 Seduction In Pale Glow



Candy, he said
You taste like candy
The imported kind
That costs a week's salary.

And that perfume you wear
What's it called?
No, wait, I don't want to know
Let it remain a mystery.

Your skin feels like silk
Arabian silk that glides like the ripple
Of a stone across a pond
Smooth, you know? Like that.

And look at that hair
Miles of it!
Have you ever cut it? No?
Then promise me you never will.

Where do you buy your clothes?
They're beautiful, stylish
You look like you just stepped 
Out of the pages of a magazine.

I bet you sing, don't you?
I bet you sing like a bird, an angel, even
Would you sing to me, for me?
I know you sing just listening to you talk.

You have a laugh that makes the soul happy
And that twinkle in your eye, marvelous!
I could sit here in this candlelight 
And look at you until the end of time.

Let's dance, shall we?
What wonderful music, I love it
A samba? A rumba? The bossa nova?
I don't care as long as we dance.

Look at you! Are you a professional?
I've never seen such grace, such beauty, such excitement
You shine like a diamond, a diamond, I tell you!
Would you be my diamond? My precious jewel?

Let's go outside into the garden
Get some air, let me catch my breath
You take my breath away, you make me weak
I've never met anyone like you before.

Is it alright if I kiss you again?
Like this? Look at me! Into my eyes
Can you see the fire you have kindled?
I'd better stop before I am consumed by it.

But no! I can't! I don't want to!
Your lips are soft and luscious
And they were made to be kissed
You taste like candy, did I tell you that?

Look at that moon! Isn't it incredible?
See how your eyes shine in it's pale glow
I know there's no music here but I want to hold you
Tight here in my arms till the morning comes.

Sing to me and we'll slow dance
Anything you want, I don't care
Yes, that's it! How sweet and special you are
You make me feel like I was just born tonight!

Would you like some champagne?
A night cap on the way home? Anything you like
Your wish is my command, my princess
For you I'll be a willing slave.

Tell me where you live
Is it far? It doesn't matter, we'll drive all night
It feels so good to have you here beside me
I feel like a prince in a fairy tale story.

Driver, stop the car! What's wrong, my darling?
Speak to me! Are you ill? What can I do?
Why are you looking at me like that?
What have I done, my love, to make you sad?

Where are you going? Why are you running?
You mustn't go into the forest, it's dark
Look! There's a storm brewing, you must come back
Come back, I tell you, this is madness! Madness!!!

Driver, where did she go? Did you see where she went?
What do you mean, she who? The girl, the beautiful girl!
Are you insane, man? The girl from the restaurant!
The girl in the back seat of this town car with me!

No! Get away from me! I'm not intoxicated!
There was a girl, I tell you! You must have seen her!
We danced, we drank champagne, she sat there at the table
And then we danced in the courtyard and she kissed me.

She tasted like candy. Like candy
And that perfume! Intoxicating! A mysterious fragrance
Skin like silk and long, raven hair, those glorious eyes!
I loved her the moment I saw her.

We must call someone. They must find her
She's out there alone in the forest, it's dreadful
Would you go and look for her, please?
Don't look at me like that, I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy.

Look, it's pouring rain now. Lightning.
That beautiful white dress will be soaked
She'll be so cold. So cold. I must find her....
Alright, take me home, driver, we'll call someone.

Good morning, man, may I see the paper?
I didn't sleep a bit last night, I walked the floor
Wait! What's that? That picture! It's the girl, I tell you!
One year anniversary of her death! It couldn't be!

She was there! With me! In my arms!
We danced, we talked, we laughed
We drank champagne, we kissed
 She tasted like candy, like candy, I tell you
Like candy.

 ©By Voo

Sept 24, 07 midnight

Almost Blue by Chet Baker