Abstract – Observations While Deaf and Colorblind
Voluminous chartreuse pillows
Aimlessly brewing an ever-changing pattern
Before abruptly erupting
Purple teardrops falling
Thin slices of alabaster claw markings
Puddles of violet below
The navy blue landscape
Awakened and hungrily gulping without pause
Underground sponges most certainly
Streaks of vanilla lightning
Carving imaginary circles in now pinkish clouds
Pausing only for effect
Time teasing and tantalizing
Staccato drums dislodging ochre needle nuts
Falling fast and stopping faster
While silent thunder pouts
Displacing frozen optics once caught in mid-sentence
Just a singular pulse shakes the soul
Giant needles swaying
Lemon yellow branches dance but refuse to yield
Instead bending in odd complexities
Streams of liquid amber
Trading drops without any semblance of order
Gathering in a negative trajectory
Contrasting moisture
Clear coating the black illumination of decoration
Consuming the dryness without abandon
Achromatic fires of forgotten origins
Reignited when the streaking vanilla embraces another
Clasping directionless tendrils
Citrus grilled matchsticks remain
Conquest without mercy has gone to the mottle overhead
A grainy void now filling with night
Without a parting, an exodus in multiple dimensions
Ten legged beasts, armored fowl, and the pantheon of silent ones
Ragged and jagged like driven breeders
Diplomacy engages the ensemble
Purple torrents close the curtain on the shining silver
Wispy rising steam flowers growing
That which has entered has now exited
Picturesque endeavors yet without photographic luxury
That which happens unheard and unseen
Authors Note
If you’re left slightly confused by my abstract, please allow me to explain. It’s a tale of an impending storm (from a colorblind perspective of course) with lightning, which eventually starts a fire. However the rain increases in volume and extinguishes the fire, leaving nothing but a burnt area and rising steam. Following the old ‘if a tree falls in the forest but no one is around, does it make a sound’ statement, if a fire happens and no one sees it, has it truly happened?
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Far out! Ralph – to use a phrase from my much younger days. Extremely clever phrasing and very interesting. After I read your ‘author’s note’, I read the poem again and clearly see the abstract analogy (or metaphor?). Amazing, great work, dear poet.
Clever use of words Ralph, creating stark imagery and making the work a delight to read. Love it! Cheers!
At first I felt like I was tripping on some magical mushrooms, brought me back to my days in the 60’s 70’s when I floated through time barriers, the cannabis was excellent back then:-) But aside from my past, this excellent palette of beautiful and exciting colors, sounds, mixtures, combinations made me feel like being part of the action. I could imagine how I would feel, if colorblind, deaf or even blind. Would I capture the total feeling you convey here. Our Universe is an amazing kaleidoscope, we just need to capture it, be in the moment with it and expertly convey it as you have done in this excellent work Ralph. Bravo, well done.
The imagery was outstanding Ralph. I could not imagine being colorblind, to miss out on the amazing palette that was used to create this world. That must be rough. Great work