‘O Holy Wisdom, Soaring Power, encompass us with wings unfurled, and carry us, encircling all, above, below, and through the world,’ giving voice to ecstatic melismas of avidity eternal.
Calligraphic signifiers rouse masterful enumerators while language seduces inscribed astral bodies listening with striving attention eons churning the refrain avidity eternal.
Pneuma is piqued by enraptured subtleties caressing phosphorus membranes
upon gentle ascetics performing ignoble traversals over Gaussian eliminations of avidity eternal.
Stumbling fearful lacrimose tender utterances filled with fatuous genuflections
upending ornate tables in art’s gilded sanctuaries finding and seeking anew your avidity eternal.
Bold succulent hedonists nuzzle watchful questioning contrarians into a tremulous daring surrender
lapping nectar buoyed by shocking desire penultimate game of avidity eternal.
Jousting firm convictions encircling kyriarchy infatuated with a once pellucid order
nesting in suffocating ruts blown apart in the mysterium tremendum casts avidity eternal.
Whispering bouquets of adoration and certitude unending: concede, merge, meld
suck wonder and lyrical promises floating in ephemeral delirium swirling avidity eternal.
Beacon of unadorned fidelity no soul cage yet an ever patient dove over shore less seas
encountering spirit rapt longing in glowing sensual unraveling hosAnnas avidity eternal.
Note:
‘O Holy Wisdom, Soaring Power, encompass us with wings unfurled, and carry us, encircling all, above, below, and through the world,’ Hildegard von Bingen —O Holy Spirit, Root of Life
Chromapoetica 
Beautiful sussurrating sounds… 🙂 So enjoyed your recording… avidity eternal is an echoing choice of refrain… really worked well for me. Like your interpretation of Ghazal, Anna…
Thanks Becky, I look forward to reading your offering!
I knew those succulent nuzzling hedonists sounded familiar, Anna. I think I like it written in this form even more, it seems smoother, and it also showcases the cadence of the interior phrases in the lines a bit more I think. The words tumble into and around each other naturally, like the surf rolls small pebbles and shells up into itself. I especially liked how the last two stanzas worked out. it sounds wonderful and balanced as a spoken piece as well. I won’t attempt any form critique but for lushness of language and image, this is a most satisfying piece.
You honor me with a return visit! The challenge here was creating and expanding the couplets without loosing what I liked about the original poem. I did feel the original lent itself well to the theme, hopefully John will agree. I’m happy to hear this version is preferable to the first incarnation. I loved yours and will make sure I told you so on your blog (it’s been a hectic morning).
Hey Anna,
I have to echo hedgewitch completely particularly the smoother quality this form seems to allow.
Spoken – you again caused some neuro shock – you have a fine reading voice which really audioshivers thru the web.
Jousting firm convictions encircling kyriarchy infatuated with a once pellucid order nesting in suffocating ruts blown apart in the mysterium tremendum casts avidity eternal.
This stanza is magnificent – mysterium tremendum – well – i could write a compendium based souly on that phrase alone.
This is so lush and even spectacular and as ever your intrepid exploration of poetry is an example to us all – leaning on the boundries is the only way to see something new.
You Rock!
Sorry to take so long to reply I got an important, and lengthy, phone call. I will have to be kinder and gentler to your poor brain but I’m glad to have an impact. You picked out my favorite couplet for its message. I like the idea of being an intrepid explorer, I’ll probably need some new boots for that. One of my favorite quotes around that issue is “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose site of the shore for a very long time.” – Andre Gide. Thanks again for your engaged reading and listening.
Per my comment on your site: I wonder if I was the mascot what costume would I have to wear? Oh, and sometimes I know how to spell tectonic, sheesh!
I await what John says as to form; as to content feel content to echo Joy and Arron. Thanks for taking the challenge, writing and linking. Gay
Thanks Gay, so nice to have you stop by and thanks again for all you do at dVerse!
great write. I must do one of these things
I would love to see what you’d come up with! So nice to see you again, thanks for commenting.
Yes, I too loved the array of sounds and tour of images. Really enjoyed this!
http://henryclemmonspoet.blogspot.com/2011/08/churns-dream.html
Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed it.
Wonderful! There are so many layers to this one… on hand, I could see the various techniques employed in panting that beautiful artwork… on another, I read some terrific metaphors and analogies to life…
All in all, this was a treat to the senses, and some tasty food for thought!
Thanks Kavita, I’m glad you found multiple meanings within it, as intended. Food for thought is always music to my ears to mix a metaphor!
Lovely voice.. I enjoyed your reading.
Great images for this ghazal form Anna.
Thanks, I appreciate you stopping in!
Read your ghazal and then listened too your wonerful voice and was moved. Wonderful work here.
Thank you! I visited your blog and enjoyed your poetry too.
Anna, I wish that I could have listened to you recite this succulent word-feast, but the audio player wasn’t working for me. 😦 Nevertheless, reading it was a pleasure. (Hos)Annas, indeed! Your poetry is worthy of high praise.
David
Thank you David, I e-mailed you the MP3 if you’d like to listen.
Really lovely Anna, I enjoyed reading it myself, & then listening to your gorgeous voice breathing sound into symbols..I loved the essential echo, your words echo your painting, swirling lines weaving colour, planes of cerebral geometry curled, curved & recreated, as your painting echoes your words, & they leap within a perfect circle
Thank you, love the ‘planes of cerebral geometry’ bit, so lovely to have poets as readers! Thank you for your continued readership.
So is this a ghazal? It has couplets that are variations on a theme. And they are standalone and interchangeable. The imagery in and between couplets are clearly on associational LSD so no fear of any linear logic here!
It is difficult to pinpoint a theme as it appears to be an Ekphrasis mediation on a picture of colours. However, it could be said to be a poem of rapture so in keeping with a ghazal.
It has a nice sequence of couplets but they are all enjambment. Some enjambment occurs in the modern forms but as the exception in the poem rather than the norm. And you don’t refer to the narrator/writer in the last couplet. But this is often dropped.
You have a refrain but not a chain of internal rhyme. As for metre, let’s just say its free verse.
So on the strength of the possible rapture theme, its lengthy couplets (despite enjambment) and the wild dervish associational whirl. I would say it’s a successful adaption of the form.
Sorry the theme isn’t clearer, it’s a love poem to God, I’ll look at where I can make that clearer. The painting is just for visual interest, the piece was not intended for ekphrasis so I’ll know better next time. Also, my name is Anna so it’s in the HosAnnas of the last line. I really enjoyed the article, the various responses, and your input throughout the pub. Thank you very much for your helpful feedback and taking on such an enormous task!
Oh yes re HosAnnas! And the love poem explains the rapture feel I picked up. In a traditional ghazal the theme is suggested on the opening couplet rather then title. Perhaps if you looked up the sayings Teresa of Avila or Hildegard of Bingen they have a phrase you could use to alert the reader more.
Excellent suggestion, I have found one I particularly like by Hildegard von Bingen so I’ll find a way to incorporate it to help the reader. I’m glad you mentioned Teresa of Avila because the painting was inspired by Bernini’s The Ecstasy of St Teresa. Thank you.
wow – just stunned by your poem anna and also by john’s comment – isn’t it great as we go together and learn, experiment and have fun..? just love it…
Thanks Claudia, it is wonderful to have such an exchange of ideas, each person brings so much in their reading. Without experimentation I tend to stagnate so I’m so glad it’s encouraged here (especially in form). Thanks again for all you do to bring us dVerse, we’re blest indeed.
What a word-fest this is!
Thank you so much for coming by and commenting.
I’m very much game for affirmations of faith that encompass the whole shebang, the “complicate amassing harmony” (Wally Stevens, I think I’ve quoted this before here) — vatuum aetrurnus, “avidity eternal,” amen. I call it postchristian, but the tags aren’t as important as the ebullience of the spiritual passion. You bring many subtle worlds into view here. And “encircling kyriarchy,” yes.
Yes, as you know I’m not one for dogma, the mystics always interest me more. Thank you for recognizing my offering for what it is and not worrying about its tags. We all encounter spirit or ethical imperative or whatever we call it. While my encounter leans toward the ecstatic embrace I’ve always been fascinated by its myriad manifestations in others. For me there’s no need to give in to encircling kyriarchy but that may be why I write poetry that’s unbound by the logical sequential march of language. I’m wild and tame at the same time; I accept paradoxes like an experimental traditional form. I loved your work today and appreciate your time, energy and marvelous insights as always.
It’s quite amazing what you are able to do with your words here! I definitely felt the adoration and passion throughout. Well done 🙂
Thank you very much, Lori!
“Bold succulent hedonists nuzzle watchful questioning contrarians into a tremulous daring surrender
lapping nectar buoyed by shocking desire penultimate game of avidity eternal.”
Awesome.
Thanks! I always appreciate your visits!
I felt as though I was in a holy place. The Ghazal is a complex form in itself and yours layers complexity and beauty.
Wow, what a wonderful compliment, I am humbled. Always enjoy your visits Victoria, thank you again for China!
This is my first visit here. I am dazzled and humbled. I feel I have read something that took a very long time to create. You are truly talented.
Welcome, I’m sorry you ended up here instead of at the city prompt post but glad you found something of interest. Thank you for your lovely compliment, I look forward to reading more of your work through dVerse. Very nice to meet you.
Wow — I can guarantee that no one will ever be able replicate this ghazal. Fabulously and loquaciously entangled. xxxj I’m at http://parolavivace.blogspot.com . xxxj
Thank you, I do try to be original :).
umm…wow. ‘Jousting firm convictions encircling kyriarchy infatuated with a once pellucid order
nesting in suffocating ruts blown apart in the mysterium tremendum casts avidity eternal.’ indeed. avidity eternal
very nice.
Yeah, I love that line too. Jesse, I always enjoy your visits, thanks. I got Spyachka 1.1 in my weekly digest this morning and will be by soon to comment. Oh and I read your Jingle interview yesterday.
Well Done
u did it pretty well 🙂
Thank you, I loved your poem today!