In this place are three,
suspended in space, welded to earth
Melting essence dream of the sages:
earth & water, air, and fire.
Hewn of iron wrought of tree
crude design, crime of malice
driven down into the granite skull
a peace accord and cruel injustice
These three elements
spirit, matter, flesh and blood
apex the bridge
patibulum's edge
1 comment:
Yeah, I realize that "earth & water, air and fire" are four things, not three. And I realize that "spirit, matter, flesh and blood" are the same. However, because this poem contains a human being as part of its element and story, I wanted to subsume a human under the anciet rubric "flesh and blood" which is used in the 1st century context of humans en toto. The same goes for the earth. The planet earth is both land and water. I think it's our post-Enlightenment rationalism and mathematical proclivities that preclude us from producing a collective noun by means of conjoining two words with a conjunction. But hey--that's why there are poets--we can do whatever the hell we want! And hopefully change the way society thinks about things.
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