names

[eclipse]

With eternity's knife
i removed the mask
worn in life and on
a grave read twice
the name i held in life-
death requires no name
-my old friends the fools
believe they receive my
guidance during a seance-
who moves the glass?-
I wasn't in control
when i passed from home
to work,work to home-

[dr_con]

An effective dark piece, with a wraith like purity. Very much enjoyed the gothic flairs and the spiritualist self-reflection.

 

Enjoyed immensely,

 

Juris

[Benjamin]

I like this for the aspects it presents. It caused me to think conversely, of when I amended a will.... and was told by an amused advisor, not to try inflict my values on the living from over the 'horizon'.

[tonyv]

There's a lot going on here for such a short poem. I once told a loved one that it irritated me when she capitlized the first word of a title and used all lowercase letters in the rest of the words. Then I remembered. I realized she wasn't being sloppy. That's the European way in her language and even in my first language, Estonian. In any case, I don't think the title of this poem falls within the realm of "European" or sloppy. "Names" is lower case by intent. It evokes a lowliness, a sense of inferiority, as do the cummingsesque lower case i's (which I ordinarily don't care for though they seem to work here), that's prevalent throughout the poem. It all ties together nicely with the last lines:

 

 

I wasn't in control
when i passed from home
to work,work to home-

 

 

The speaker's submissive tone is offset with a slight, almost pleasing arrogance, and that blend from his life persona has carried over to his death persona. "I removed the mask worn in life" is fresh. Nice work, Barry.

 

Tony