GERALD HOPMAN                   Home       Poems 1956-2012       Latest Works       Bio       Statement      Contact


Book of Great Fears Opposed


sing high  sing low
and welcome the night
for said and done
what follows is bright
and many times right

 

 

SCENARIO FOR THE UNCHOSEN
AT THE BIRTH OF HEAVEN
(in 21  episodes)
-----------------------------------------------------

 

    Deep in sleep
                  where dragons creep
           and visions keep
   for all to see
            the weaving of a
       never-ending
                                       end to be

  down down
                      where darkness seizes
    as it pleases
                              descend attend commend
                      I say       
         with eager heart
            the tumbling start
 
                  and judge the judges
          for all with wiles
                          must pass through trials

                   
                 when eyes are wise
unbound
                be found

 

 

THE MODALITIES                      THE MODALITIES
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Far off where the seas wind true
a contender prophecies his elation

 

THERE WILL BE THREE TOWERS GUIDING THE BIRD WITH THE
SILVER PACKET.  INSIDE THE BARRICADED DEPOT THE REVELERS
FASHIONING A TOTEM FROM THE PAINTED CHIPS OF THE BLIND
MINISTER’S EXPLODING CRYSTAL WILL YIELD THEIR POSITIONS AT
THE DESCENDING ALTAR HERALDING THE PROMISE OF A FINAL
REWORKING OF JOYS AND FEARS WITH THE MATRONS RUSHING TO DRAIN THE SACRED POND TO CONSECRATE THE BLESSINGS THAT WERE.

 

IN THE EAST
CANDLES IN THE MOUNTAINS
FLY
LIKE BLOSSOMS
FROM THE GRASP OF SAINTS

 

IN THE WEST
A CITY MAKES READY
FOR THE CALL
TO AN IMAGE

 

somewhere
amidst the trembling
and the chimes
a figment lies
encumbered by its sourcelessness
its grinding through
a field of dots
that render it a starting point
for origins of weight and gain
essential to a common thrust
increasing
past the limits structured
in the bending
waving track of forms
as segments one by one
envelop and retreat
to be enveloped
in an ever grander flash
of interchanging binds and peels
that multiply the unity
rebuilding what has gone before
with added shades and tones
made real as they appear
and come to rest
proportioned for the locking of dimensions
in a slowly settling
field of dots
wherein
amidst the trembling and the chimes
a figment lies

 

LEMON TIME HO
TOMORROW WE GO

THE DEW DROPS DWINDLE
AND SOON THE SNOW

 

oh the pot             and the pit
             the arrow                   and the circumference
the banner             and the hedge

 

    which to suspend?
how to receive?
 when to control?

 

 

THE PROPOSITIONS ASSIGNED
THE QUOTIENTS ASSUMED
THE OPPOSITES EXTENDED
THE PARALLELS INVOKED
THE ALLOTMENTS DIVIDED
THE SUMMATIONS CONTAINED
THE LEVELS REVIEWED
THE ENDINGS INSERTED
THE CONSTANTS ACQUIRED
THE REDUCTIONS UPHELD
THE DATA PRONOUNCED
THE ELEMENTS INSCRIBED
THE CONTINUANCE ASSURED
THE REVELATIONS DISSECTED
THE CONSTRUCTIONS ORDAINED
THE LAYERS INSTALLED
THE APPENDAGES ENTWINED
THE DEVOTIONS FULFILLED

 

and the merry moon comings and goings
are stayed

 

as saying and being go round
where they’re laid

 

The CREATURES of pure beauty are upon us again!
The creatures of PURE beauty are upon us again!
The creatures of pure BEAUTY are upon us again!

Oh my darlings
My tumbling beams of recompense
My last wings

WILL YOU COMFORT
IF I HASTEN
WILL YOU NOTICE
IF I DARE?

There is a light beyond light
A darkness that implodes and scrubs the dipping star

 

Over the tops of bridges I would run
To gather where you are

 

Oh my darlings
My trusty frames of happenstance
My neat wands

WILL YOU MANAGE
IF I CLING?

 

THE  AMENITIES         THE AMENITIES
------------------------------------------------------------

The person who steps into the arena
presses a toe against my cheek
whispering
                           THE UNTIDY MUST BE REDEEMED!

 

The person who jumps into the arena
presses an elbow against my thigh
shouting
                          THE UNCOMMITTED MUST BE ELECTED!

 

The person who is thrown into the arena
presses a tongue against my wrist
declaring
                             THE UNNEEDY MUST BE PRESERVED!

 

This plan is meant for those who seek to reconcile
a passion found
a passion made
a passion when requests are drawn from loss

 

                                                         with a half a loaf here
                                    and a half a loaf there
                                                          strumming and stroking
                                    a rickety chain

 

 

THE PROPENSITIES            THE PROPENSITIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

              Oh the fame of Ludovigio Pallozzi
            The treasure of Mustapha Khan
               The heart of Generalissimo Ghila
                   The visions of Black Susan of Kent

 

              The learning of Yosip the Healer
      The wit of Cardinal LaBatte
 The fury of Konokotoma
       The Bosom of Madame E.G.

 

       The will of Meister von Ekker
      The laughter of Inga the Fair
              The rhythms of Juan de Portega
                The contentions of Samuel Dump

 

               The art of Ludmilla the Huntress
                  The presence of Commodore Bull
                The riddles of Stronzo the Jester
             The marvels of Emperor T’sing

 

 

CUT AIR

HANG WOOD

PART LACE

TIE BOOKS

SHAKE GLASS

THROW EARTH

BE HELD

 

 

configurations abound

 

                                                                 portions and potions compound

 

astound

                           
                                 surround

 

REFRAIN

take

REFRAIN

take

REFRAIN REFRAIN REFRAIN

           as in plumbing a desert for the hallowed sweets
                            of another’s illusion

REFRAIN

take take take

           as in posing before the charging beast
                        of another’s fate

REFRAIN refrain

TAKE

 

I’M THINKING TONIGHT
of balalaika

 

drifting over the ancestral stream

 

where the boat boy beckons
and the captain reckons

 

AND THE PRINCESSES STRADDLE A DREAM

 

 

 

-----A DREAM PRESENTING  A DREAM IN A DREAM-------

 

Dust in the mist on the slope over the banks of the encampment
where the trails converge in cinders and bone

 

REMEMBER?

remembrance
THE CRUEL PAUSE      THE STRAGGLERS VEILED   COILED    SHORN
                               FOR THE RITES OF DEMAND

In The Midnight Mask                 Choose A Code For The Task
                         Be Served By The Begging Hand

REMEMBER!

 

A PRICE FOR THE THRUST
A SACK FOR THE GAVEL THAT PRODS THE NEED
A BUTTERY FLAME FOR THE THINNING TRIBE
A CAP FOR THE SHOVELING MUTE AT THE WELL
A TAG FOR THE GOLDEN HORN

 

                         Parade the Divine When the Blood Commends
Kneel  Til The Smile Runs Full

 

And The Women Croon                  TOO LATE                  TOO SOON

 

oh there’s death in the verse
when the gift and the curse

 

LAY SCORN                                                                ON THE PROMISE OF TIME

 

 

In the north
watchers in a valley
stand
like figures
on a tomb of kings

 

In the south
a chanter is pulled
to a stone on a cliff

 

 

 

THE IMPERATIVES          The Imperatives           the imperatives
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Having conjured in place of freely receiving

THRICE BLESSED

 

Having knotted the simple and wept for the hidden

THRICE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SEE

 

Having shuffled our causes from sleep to shreik

THRICE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SEE THE COLORS

 

Having bundled our wisdom for daily approval

THRICE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SEE THE COLORS AS THE
                 ASHES OF THE FESTIVAL ENSHRINE

 

Having hunted the phantoms of unsparing love with the chattel
                       and dragons of pleasure’s resolve

THRICE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SEE THE COLORS AS THE ASHES
OF THE FESTIVAL ENSHRINE THE WOUNDS OF DANCING PRIESTS

 

 

walk easy     
        

walk over

 

 

walk into

 

 

the clover

 

 

The worshipers come in twos
They remind us of gentler times
Of summer ice and gay facades

 

On their helmets are the writings of the elusive prophets
The dutiful ones who clamor
They named them at the interment

As the offerings continue
The tunnel is finally opened
And we hear drumming and a whisting moan

 

But at the entrance when we submit our illustrations
Of the proceedings within
Which we have been asked to imagine
We are counseled to prepare for another vigil

 

Still we are encourage to cheer
And we feed ourselves reasons why

 
   
   
 
 
     
© Hopman
 
     GERALD HOPMAN                   Home       Poems 1956-2012       Latest Works       Bio       Statement      Contact