Snow on epiphany morning

[dcmarti1]

Author's note: No hidden meanings here. I quickly dreamed that I owned a coffee kiosk named Cafe Blaga, after Blaga Dimitrova, in Sofia, Bulgaria. I think I must be losing it, but I correspond with a Bulgarian at the site goodreads.com

Snow on epiphany morning in a soviet era sofia apartment

A stark and white empty kitchen,
shattered only by a red French press
and a whistling green tea pot;

a stark and white empty nook,
peopled with one chair, one table,
one cup, and one spoon;

a stark and white linoleum floor,
congressed by a singular, shuffling form
summoned by the dark promise of steam:

his hand lifts the tea pot and drowns
the once proud and labored beans,
so as to steep in watery homicide.

Europe's Curtain no longer hangs,
the eastern pact no longer stands,
and Todor's ghost must contend with his IKEA. - added 1/15/2017

A stark and white empty street,
framed by the uncurtained naked window
is the canvas of his breakfast.

[David W. Parsley]

Hi Marti, this thoroughly cleansed but shabby apartment is a distressing experience. The narrator is alone in a place peopled only by inanimate furnishings that are cleansed even of associations with visitors. The interior and exterior alike are purged of meaning. It is an epiphany of emptiness so complete it does not possess even the echo of keening.

 

- Dave

[dcmarti1]

I had to look up "keening". :)

 

I am glad, actually, to elicit any response. I was half asleep while dreaming/seeing this scene, but the furnishings were actually new IKEA; sparse, to be sure, but not shabby. (Yes, I miss the DC access to IKEA.) Red and green, with the white, must relate subconsciously to their flag. With respect to the "aloneless" of the individual, spot on.

 

 

 

Hi Marti, this thoroughly cleansed but shabby apartment is a distressing experience. The narrator is alone in a place peopled only by inanimate furnishings that are cleansed even of associations with visitors. The interior and exterior alike are purged of meaning. It is an epiphany of emptiness so complete it does not possess even the echo of keening.

 

- Dave

[David W. Parsley]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. That reference to "Soviet era apartment" brought the sense of shabbiness, which did not quite jibe with all the white cleanliness. I had to really work at that...

 

- Dave

 

 

I had to look up "keening". :)

 

I am glad, actually, to elicit any response. I was half asleep while dreaming/seeing this scene, but the furnishings were actually new IKEA; sparse, to be sure, but not shabby. (Yes, I miss the DC access to IKEA.) Red and green, with the white, must relate subconsciously to their flag. With respect to the "aloneless" of the individual, spot on.

 

 

 

Hi Marti, this thoroughly cleansed but shabby apartment is a distressing experience. The narrator is alone in a place peopled only by inanimate furnishings that are cleansed even of associations with visitors. The interior and exterior alike are purged of meaning. It is an epiphany of emptiness so complete it does not possess even the echo of keening.

 

- Dave

 

[dcmarti1]

I may have to add another stanza to explain that the BUILDING is from that era, but that the inside has changed, the Wall is gone, Bulgaria's in NATO, etc. Hmmm. Thanks, actually.....

 

 

Ah, thanks for the clarification. That reference to "Soviet era apartment" brought the sense of shabbiness, which did not quite jibe with all the white cleanliness. I had to really work at that...

 

- Dave

 

 

I had to look up "keening". :)

 

I am glad, actually, to elicit any response. I was half asleep while dreaming/seeing this scene, but the furnishings were actually new IKEA; sparse, to be sure, but not shabby. (Yes, I miss the DC access to IKEA.) Red and green, with the white, must relate subconsciously to their flag. With respect to the "aloneless" of the individual, spot on.

 

 

 

Hi Marti, this thoroughly cleansed but shabby apartment is a distressing experience. The narrator is alone in a place peopled only by inanimate furnishings that are cleansed even of associations with visitors. The interior and exterior alike are purged of meaning. It is an epiphany of emptiness so complete it does not possess even the echo of keening.

 

- Dave

 

 

[dcmarti1]

It may be somewhat narrow and historical, thus targeting an audience and limiting readership, but I took your inspiration.

 

Europe's Curtain no longer hangs,

the eastern pact no longer stands,

and Todor's ghost must contend with his IKEA. - added 1/15/2017

 

 

 

Ah, thanks for the clarification. That reference to "Soviet era apartment" brought the sense of shabbiness, which did not quite jibe with all the white cleanliness. I had to really work at that...

 

- Dave

 

 

I had to look up "keening". :)

 

I am glad, actually, to elicit any response. I was half asleep while dreaming/seeing this scene, but the furnishings were actually new IKEA; sparse, to be sure, but not shabby. (Yes, I miss the DC access to IKEA.) Red and green, with the white, must relate subconsciously to their flag. With respect to the "aloneless" of the individual, spot on.

 

 

 

Hi Marti, this thoroughly cleansed but shabby apartment is a distressing experience. The narrator is alone in a place peopled only by inanimate furnishings that are cleansed even of associations with visitors. The interior and exterior alike are purged of meaning. It is an epiphany of emptiness so complete it does not possess even the echo of keening.

 

- Dave

 

 

[David W. Parsley]

Well, if I can blunder my way into being a help, more power to PMO! I like the added stanza, sews the whole poem together nicely.

 

- Dave

[David W. Parsley]

Now isn't that gratifying. Congrats on the publication, Marti!

 

- Dave

[eclipse]

yes well done

[dcmarti1]

Thank you.

 

Now isn't that gratifying. Congrats on the publication, Marti!

 

- Dave

[dcmarti1]

And thank you, too.

 

yes well done

[Tinker]

Hi Marty, The stark imagery was brilliantly displayed in your lines. Loved the colors on the pristine white. I didn't read this poem until after you added the 2nd to last stanza so I had a clearer picture in my mind from the start. Congratulations on the publication, and the link allowed me to read the article accompanying your poem which gave me a little more understanding and saved me from looking up "Todor". I'm glad your poem was in Member poetry so we had a way to acknowledge its publication since Tony had coded the publication section for no responses.

​~~Tink

[tonyv]

Marti, I love when you add an author's note. Background when it comes to any work of art fascinates me.

 

As for the bleakness, the starkness, the "IKEA" of it all, I'm happy to visit, but I prefer cozy. Even so, the minimalism is exciting, almost enviable (minus the loneness).

 

Tony

[dcmarti1]

Thanks, Tink. I have been off for a while since this. The Bulgarian flag is white, red, and green, so I subconsciously must have put that into my dream.

 

Thanks again for reading. :)

 

Hi Marty, The stark imagery was brilliantly displayed in your lines. Loved the colors on the pristine white. I didn't read this poem until after you added the 2nd to last stanza so I had a clearer picture in my mind from the start. Congratulations on the publication, and the link allowed me to read the article accompanying your poem which gave me a little more understanding and saved me from looking up "Todor". I'm glad your poem was in Member poetry so we had a way to acknowledge its publication since Tony had coded the publication section for no responses.

​~~Tink

[dcmarti1]

Thanks for reading and commenting, Tony. I have been off of here for a bit.

 

Former Estonian president Toomas testified before Congress.

 

http://news.err.ee/316271/ilves-heard-by-us-congress-committee-on-russian-meddling-with-elections

 

 

Marti, I love when you add an author's note. Background when it comes to any work of art fascinates me.

 

As for the bleakness, the starkness, the "IKEA" of it all, I'm happy to visit, but I prefer cozy. Even so, the minimalism is exciting, almost enviable (minus the loneness).

 

Tony

[tonyv]

Thanks for reading and commenting, Tony. I have been off of here for a bit.

 

Former Estonian president Toomas testified before Congress.

 

http://news.err.ee/316271/ilves-heard-by-us-congress-committee-on-russian-meddling-with-elections

Marti, good to see you. Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

 

Tony

[Dee2]

Interesting pattern, bouncing between depressing (stark and white, empty) and welcoming (fresh coffee, breakfast). 

I liked the added IKEA stanza and the change from ‘uncurtained’ (simply descriptive) to ‘naked’ (poetic and a bit dangerous).

p.s. I’m commenting before I read any other comments, so please forgive me if I repeated what someone else said.

[dcmarti1]

On 11/14/2017 at 2:05 PM, Dee2 said:

Interesting pattern, bouncing between depressing (stark and white, empty) and welcoming (fresh coffee, breakfast). 

I liked the added IKEA stanza and the change from ‘uncurtained’ (simply descriptive) to ‘naked’ (poetic and a bit dangerous).

p.s. I’m commenting before I read any other comments, so please forgive me if I repeated what someone else said.

I have not been on in a while, or writing either. Thank you for reading and commenting.