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In The Cathedral, A Shadow Weeps
I have to admit that I haven't really much to say at the moment to add to any disussion regarding the relative worth and artistry of neo-Gothic writing in the current literary environment ... so I'l just drop off a poem, if I may.
In the Cathedral, A Shadow Weeps
By Joseph Armstead
A haunting of the soul of a thousand tears shed…
It lives in the places where the light fades away,
Wandering alone and faceless, letting no sound betray
Its presence as it paces, fretting from pillar to archway,
A flowing shade of ink, estranged from Life’s grand buffet.
As the aged cathedral hosts the wand’rings of the faithless lost,
The spectral shade is a voyeur to desperate prayers tossed
Into the depths of the cathedral, privy to the private costs
Of sin, need, lust and greed, a banquet draped in frost.
Born of night, it passes no judgment, it knows no arrogance,
Makes no challenge of righteousness, no thirst for vengeance,
The dark specter floats cross time and space, caged by penance,
Secrets held close, watching the sad parade of human reverence.
The confessional rings with the desperate whispers
Of the guilty and the broken, as they pour out blunder and bluster,
Passions and cravings, afraid of their scars, fearing failures,
Whiners, vipers, and vultures bleeding for a broken vicar.
Each gloomy day is much the same as the next,
Light within the dark, no confusion and no pretense,
The withered shadow prays with the flock, pride taken in context,
And together, ghost and fallen, a process of healing they commence.
A hope to return to grace, with hope eternal wed.
-END-
In the Cathedral, A Shadow Weeps
By Joseph Armstead
A haunting of the soul of a thousand tears shed…
It lives in the places where the light fades away,
Wandering alone and faceless, letting no sound betray
Its presence as it paces, fretting from pillar to archway,
A flowing shade of ink, estranged from Life’s grand buffet.
As the aged cathedral hosts the wand’rings of the faithless lost,
The spectral shade is a voyeur to desperate prayers tossed
Into the depths of the cathedral, privy to the private costs
Of sin, need, lust and greed, a banquet draped in frost.
Born of night, it passes no judgment, it knows no arrogance,
Makes no challenge of righteousness, no thirst for vengeance,
The dark specter floats cross time and space, caged by penance,
Secrets held close, watching the sad parade of human reverence.
The confessional rings with the desperate whispers
Of the guilty and the broken, as they pour out blunder and bluster,
Passions and cravings, afraid of their scars, fearing failures,
Whiners, vipers, and vultures bleeding for a broken vicar.
Each gloomy day is much the same as the next,
Light within the dark, no confusion and no pretense,
The withered shadow prays with the flock, pride taken in context,
And together, ghost and fallen, a process of healing they commence.
A hope to return to grace, with hope eternal wed.
-END-
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robby Baby on -
Good capture of the angst of the state of faith these days, the church and such. I think I'd maybe retool to get it flowing just a bit better. It was an interesting read, as well as pleasent. It made me think about those things that are going on in relation to the state of religion
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Armstead on -
Thanks! I penned this almost 5 years ago, back when I was sill trying to dabble, with only marginal success, in metered poetry. I found that rhyming schemes weren't comfortable for me, that I tended to lose my focus, and a lot of my message, as I fretted over the mechanics of rhyme. The restrictions created an artificiality I couldn't shake. As I've gone on, I now definitely favor writing free-verse above all other poetic forms.
But it was still a lot of fun...
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Permalink Reply by Author-Poet Aberjhani on -
Love this line--"A flowing shade of ink, estranged from Life’s grand buffet."--and the overall concept of a cathedral being host to those who are all but damned (or are they?). The brooding tone and rich style make a gorgeous read.
Aberjhani
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Permalink Reply by Romantic Poetess on
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Permalink Reply by Robby Baby on
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You are just going hogwild with this stuff, huh? Awesome :) Cool window shade for this poem :)
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Permalink Reply by Robby Baby on
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HA!!! I love the end message! It's the groovin crypt keeper HAHA
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Permalink Reply by Romantic Poetess on
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Halloween should be really groovin ...hee hee
Romantic Poetess Disappears For All Them Pesky Tricker Treaters!
OMG I gotta show you my wicked witch-AURGHH!!!!!
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1. Membership at CTI is free and open to all those interested in either the production or appreciation of the creative arts, to include literature, visual art, dance, music, film, spiritual theory, the social sciences, philosophy, general humanities, scientific inquiry, education in general, and other disciplines intended to enhance the quality of life for all humanity.
2. Materials posted by Members of CTI are their sole responsibility and not that of CTI management or any other member of the CTI site.
3. While recognizing that the work of creative artists is often controversial by its very nature, CTI prohibits and discourages the posting of any overtly obscene and intentionally inflammatory material. These include overt pornography, racist diatribes, religious slander, and any postings promoting discrimination against or the oppression of other human beings.
4. In the interest of stimulating creative growth, we encourage dialogue and even debate. However, Members should avoid leaving intentionally offensive or antagonistic remarks on the pages of Fellow Members. We can disagree and still remain a harmonious community.
5. Explore, grow, share, and enjoy your creative success.
Please remember, these guidelines are likely to evolve as the site itself continues to evolve and develop. We welcome and encourage your input. After all, yours are some of the best minds on the planet so we would be very foolish not to listen to what you have to say.
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CTI SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS
CTI Spotlight Artist Marne L. Kilates, August 16-31, 2008
Marne L. Kilates, the CTI Spotlight Artist for August 16-31, hails from the Philippines and is the highly regarded editor of “Poet’s Picturebook,” an ezine of exceptionally fine art and literature. He is also a translator and the author of several books, including Mostly In Monsoon Weather. For more about Marne, please visit his profile at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/MarneLKilates .
CTI Spotlight Artist Tasha Coleman, August 1-15, 2008
Creative disciplines of virtually every type, from filmmakers and actresses to environmentalists and jazz musicians, are represented at CTI. The poets among us comprise a fairly large number and one of them, Tasha Coleman, is our new CTI Spotlight Artist for August 1-15, 2008. Those who have visited Tasha’s profile and commented on her work know already that she writes with considerable sensitive insight about family life, personal relationships, spirituality, and positive motivation. We invite you to learn more about this college student and native of Georgia by visiting her profile at: http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/TashaColeman .
CTI Spotlight Artist Georg Edvard Mateos, July 16-31, 2008
The CTI Spotlight Artist for July 16-31, 2008, Georg Edvard Mateos, is the celebrated author of four books, including “The Man on the Grassy Knoll” Trilogy, and “Portrait of a Sad Man.” In addition, since December 2005, he has been among the most prolific and popular members writing on the AuthorsDen website with some 462 titles and 7,215 reviews. His pen is as skilled in classical modes of poetry as it is in modern expressions of prose. To learn more about his profoundly rich life and work, please visit Georg at: http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/GeorgEdvardMateos
CTI Spotlight Artist Marina, July 1-15, 2008
One of the traditions at CTI that has helped us form a meaningful and yet flexible sense of community is the Spotlight Artist. It is not a competition or popularity contest of any kind but simply a way of drawing greater attention to the creative offerings presented so generously by specific members. Marina, our CTI Spotlight Artist for July 1-15, 2008, hails from Germany and is both one of our most generous sharers, with more than 80 photos at CTI, and one of the first to join our growing community. We could tell you more about her art or her recent travels to Egypt but invite you to discover her world for yourself by clicking on her profile at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profiles/profile/show?id=marina .
CTI Spotlight Artist BlackBirdHyperdrive, June 16-30, 2008
One thing that has not changed at Creative Thinkers International is the sheer abundance of creative individuals and types that populate the CTI community. One of those individuals is the poet known as BlackBirdHyperDrive, our CTI Spotlight Artist for June 16-30. A visit to BlackBirdHyperDrive’s profile and a perusal of his blogs reveals a creative thinker whose works often explore such powerful themes as the transformative power of shared spirituality, philosophical introspection, and romantic perspectives in the lives of individuals as well as the larger society. We invite you to learn more about his words and world by visiting his profile at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/BlackBirdHyperDrive
CTI Spotlight Artist Marlive Harris, June 1-15, 2008
Our CTI Spotlight Artist for June 1-15, 2008, Marlive Harris, not only maintains a powerful literary presence on Creative Thinkers International but through her Grits.com site exercises such a presence all over the Internet. Among the many qualities that make Ms. Harris unique, valued, and welcome in various communities is her passion for promoting literary culture in general. She has accomplished this with written reviews, book trailers, podcasts, interviews, promotions, and other effective methods that blend a classical literary sensibility with innovative online technology. We are honored to present her as the new CTI Spotlight artist and invite you to learn more about her by visiting her profile at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/MarliveHarris .
CTI Spotlight Artist Robert M, May 16-31, 2008
Versatility is a quality we have come to associate with many of our members and Robert M, our new CTI Spotlight Artist, is one of the most versatile among us. The fortunate visitor to Robert’s profile page gains entry into a world of eclectic musical compositions ranging from classical European melodies and Indian ragas to jazz, rock, and blues. Moreover, as various commentators have noted, enough of his precision-crafted poems adorn the site to fill two or three volumes. We could go on quite a bit about his tailored background images, video choices, and the fact that he has established several groups at CTI. But rather than doing that, we invite you to explore for yourself his created wonders at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/RobertM
CTI Spotlight Artist Vickie L. McColley, May 1-15, 2008
As everybody knows, diversity is one of our primary strengths at CTI and the members of our community represent cultures from all over the world. They also represent individuals at different stages of their creative careers and development. One of those members is Victoria L. McColley, known to some as the Romantic Poetess, to others as Groovy Charmer, and to some simply as Vickie. It is our pleasure to present her at this time as the CTI Spotlight Artist for May 1-15, 2008. A long-time member at CTI, Ms. McColley has proven particularly adept at utilizing the site’s many features to enhance and present to the world her own unique vision of creative artistry. In addition to being a member of the CTI community, she also has more than 100 titles on AuthorsDen with more than 1,000 reviews of her writings there. The working title of her forthcoming first poetry collection is “Love Love Love: Poetry from the Heart, Soul & Voice of Love.” For more on the Vickie’s work and world, please visit her profile at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/RomanticPoetessVickieMcColley
CTI Spotlight Artist Poetry Life & Times April 16-30, 2008
Our friends at Poetry Life and Times have featured a number of CTI’s members in their e-zine and, on top of that, have now been one of the great champions of modern poetry for some ten years. They actually have the archives to prove it! Their current issue not only honors one of poetry’s nobler traditions with its dedication to our very challenged "brothers and sisters in Tibet, Burma and Darfur,” but remains true to its mission by providing a platform for some of the most vibrant contemporary poetic voices on the planet. It is truly our honor at CTI to present Poetry Life and Times as our Spotlight Artist for April 16-30, 2008. The image of the monk featured as their main page profile image is borrowed from their current issue. To learn more about Poetry Life and Times and how you may submit your own work for publication consideration, please visit them at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/PoetryLifeandTimes .
CTI Spotlight Artist Luther E. Vann April 1-15, 2008
Often described as a poet who utilizes visual art to write his poems, Luther E. Vann is an acclaimed artist who was fortunate enough to receive some of his first art instructions from recognized masters of the Harlem Renaissance. Like all artists of note, he shaped what he learned into a style of his own that fuses deeply spiritual imagery, metaphysical philosophy, and strong social realism. After a lifetime of dedication to his craft, his work will go on exhibit at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia, from April 16-August 17, 2008, and his first book, ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love, is scheduled for publication in May. We’re honored for the opportunity to present Vann as the CTI Spotlight Artist for April 1-15 and invite you to visit his profile to learn more about him at
http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/Weallare111
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