Sunday, September 2, 2012

Baptism

Thank you R.A.D. Stainforth, for bringing my words to life ...

I draw a bath,
an extra holy one

listen to Gould
play Moonlight Sonata;

realize it's sometimes good
to conjure new rhythms,
modulate the time-scale.

Embedded bruises rinse pale,
trickle along transitory lines
to the sanctity of the river.

I come downstairs,
steeped smooth and soft,
to find you, anticipant on the sofa.

Christen me with your best icky,
your most sophisticated stuff.


tk/September 2012


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image: Summer Night, 1913, Albert Bloch 

55 comments:

  1. What a great find! Baptism in a whole new light, a more interesting one.

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  2. You just became my BPF!

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  3. I like this kind of baptism ~ Have a wonderful Sunday ~

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  4. Ha ha ha! That ending is awesome. :) I can't wait to hear RAD read it. LOL. I love the opening two lines. And S4 is so deeply touching; it's like you added all the rest of the poem to hide this nugget of pain. There is nothing like a warm bath to cleanse and baptize. This is so beautiful, Tess. And you, like me, know how to use humor to lighten sorrow. Great job doing so in the ending. Gorgeous work.

    And by the way, I think this is the most beautiful image you've selected since I've been writing for you.

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    1. How ever did he say "icky" without laughing? I know he was trying hard. :) Great work, both of you.

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    2. Thank you so much flipside...yes, I believe I saw a slight glimmer in his eye at "icky"...

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    3. There was a bit of a quiver around his lips. ;)

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  5. Wow! I did not see the end in the beginning. Great surprise.

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  6. nice...some really cool touches....love the holy bath....the bruises washing away...the finding new rhythms....that is def sometimes necessary.....icky...haha

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  7. You are badddddd...Love it ...lol
    An extra holy bath...quite an icky baptism lol
    Great write and, read Tess.

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  8. This is a great one. I had no idea where I was going until I got there. GREAT ending Tess.

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  10. (oops typos)HAH! I love this. The icky line adds laughter, which should always be present after a bath where an anticipant waits on a sofa :).

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  11. "Embedded bruises rinse pale"...there's hope yet!
    Yes, hit me with your best stuff!! Super...

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  12. Moonlight Sonata is perfect for the bath. Enjoyed this and kudos to R.A.D.

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  13. Ahh..... sophisticated lady, I love your icky stuff and your modulation!! You are blessed, my friend. Thank you for sharing your reverence. =D

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  14. Steeped, smooth, soft, sophisticated stuff. Lovely alliteration helping to rinse those embedded bruises.

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  15. oh this is lovely and unique. admire the combination of eros and the spiritual.

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  16. .. a whole new twist on soaking in the tub, modulating the time-scale.

    I love how you lead us in so many different directions each week, thank you for the challenge!

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  17. wow what a twist at the end brilliant

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  18. Holy shite, m'lady...Ahhh! My head is full of this thick wine you poured, and I am feeling drunk from it...or perhaps the fumes of jealousy are befogging my poet heart. Wonderful, wonderful piece. Hats off to Mr. Stainforth,and to you, madam!

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  19. I sure wasn't expecting that ending... but I loved it!

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  20. very nice Tess....my partner will appreciate this....when she has her 2 hour bath every morning....thanks for this

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  21. Oh my, so very tantalizing. I'm still bathing in your last two lines!

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  22. That was a great ending Tess! It was most revealing. There is sophistication in baths and bathing!

    Hank

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  23. A lovely piece of controlled sensuousness. For me that informing atmosphere works most potently sans the last stanza!

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    1. "Christen me with your best icky" was my key line here...I almost used it as the title...don't forget I'm quirky...

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  24. "steeped smooth and soft,"

    so many lovely lines here... and I like the ending. At first I laughed as there is an image that comes immediately to mind, but if one ponders this poem, it has a nice, deeper meaning. :)

    And yes, you are dependably quirky.

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  25. Oh, the two of you are such a wonderful duo....the dynamic of your words and Mr. Stainforth's voice - are hypnotic. I LOVE the fact you listen to one of my all-time favourite Pianists - the GREAT Glenn Gould - and not just to his Bach recordings. (They are, to be sure, fantastic, but he did so much more!

    And...like your other readers...that ending! Mon Dieu!!!! It's perfect!

    Bravi to you both!

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  26. Wow. I'd consider joining a church if I could be guaranteed that the baptism would be like this! Sexy stuff, Tess!

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  27. Tess! OMG, I want to slip away and delete mine now.

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  28. May the baptismal font never disappoint...

    ...and may I present Ghosts...

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  29. Adjust the time scales and descend to meet gim, bravo, time lord, Icky Pop has nothing on you!

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  30. I'm not sure if it's wickedly gorgeous or gorgeously wicked. I didn't even mind "icky"!

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  31. Tess,
    The bath: cleansing aphrodisiac, before, during and after.
    rel

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  32. Ah, you are so clever. The surprise of the ending is superb as many have commented. I'll have to get out my Gould and see what happens.

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  33. the angles and perceptions led to many thoughts, thanks Tess it is more than icky

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  34. Ah, the sensuous preparation for the fortunate anticipant - lovely writing, Tess.

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  35. For once it was appropriate that RAD had a cigarette at the end!

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  36. anticipant? there's a pronoun if it were to be :^)

    of course icky gets full attention. i won't say what it conjures up for me, but how sensual.

    i'm new to the party and glad to be here.

    love
    kj

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  37. Love that last line.....true perfection! :-)

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  38. LOVE the reading and the ending... fabulous!

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  39. Thank you very much, dear readers, for your lovely, lovely comments. I love you. My muse loves you.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)