if I close my eyes…
there–then is a shadow realm
on my emergent vision screen
where dim discrepancies of blind
fall to the floor of my consciousness;
and I pause to orient my fingers’ touch
and mouth taste…edge of salt…
and to belly breathe this airiness of life
for I discern emergent
in these veil-ed moments
deeps and shadows…
edges… angles… planes
faintly…faintly there…mere
vagaries of imaginings,
for I bring with me to this instant
brief apprehension of a vaguely
conscious ending…and…
a tipping place to dark
Bonnie Marshall
Artwork by Salvador Dali
Proem... 
This is absolutely, beautiful to me. It’s so raw and so honest. Just … I don’t know. It’s just perfect. I can connect to it. You are a wonderful writer. Thank you so much, for sharing this.
Your appreciation reassures me that this rather down poem could speak. Know the time you took to comment is meaningful to me. Smiles.
Bonnie, this is a universal theme and feeling, fear. It’s been written about a million times but it needs to be written about more and more, especially in our youth-centric culture in which we like to ignore death, and even our thoughts of it.
“and to belly breathe this airiness of life” is my favorite line: the sound, rhythm and image of it, then how it sets up the contrast described in the dark place of the next stanza, lovely. And powerful, that contrast. That’s where the edge, the strength of the piece comes from, that contrast.
I greatly admire the insight and wisdom you bring to your comments, Carolin. Absolutely, I appreciate your time, for the two way connection is so valuable to me. And, yes, always, anything you and I write so that readers may consider the value of living is…all good.
Bonnie, I love this. It’s a place I admit I know well… a gateway to so many other realms. In your own illuminating language, you approach the gates with tendril-ling fingers and toes. I don’t see your poem as dark, darker, darkest. It’s too bright for that.
Oh, how I value where you take this poem, Jana, for you see so clearly in your own poetry and art the wonder that is life. xxoo
phew, I had to readjust myself several times before I could read this in thread (almost turn my eyes upwards in my head) – I had to focus with my retina rather than my lenses – thank you
Laughing…perhaps it’s a Zen sort of seeing, Mark.