"The Vision of the Cardinal de Richelieu on His Deathbed" by H.Frédérik Schopin‘Alzheimer’s Disease’ and Other Poetry by Sam Gilliland The Society July 9, 2018 Culture, Poetry 7 Comments Alzheimer’s Disease I can feel your deep darkness closing in, With its harrowing sense of helplessness, Soon obscenity sours tongues gathering; Havoc’s wrought by every hellish djin As chaos kicks aside your selflessness, Guilt, aplenty, glee guilds in fathering: Flaunting tones of stricken folk fail true faith, Whilst naught stands twixt birth and eternity; All is lost to those fondling piety, Murmuring minds of men lull, so Simon saith, Womankind mocks mankind’s fraternity, Yet each painful breath plumes anxiety. No New Jerusalem here, not inside, Only the Dead may feel self-satisfied. A Heavy Heart’s Hope of Heaven My love with the dress of a blue beacon, I kiss the fever of your face, Where the light sleeps in secret enjoyment, I love and I sob, I am alive. René Char. 1947, “My Love with the Dress of a Blue Beacon” Here I am, seeing yesterday’s cold face, Filling my tired mind with new echoes, Wondering about the silence of sad eyes, Char would have called my glance a disgrace, Besieged memories emerge as prose, Perhaps soon, perhaps in ages, and as lies; Eager with hope, I must learn life’s lesson, Rob the rich night of all it has to give, Seek salvation in love’s lamentations, Build beauty from love-kissed lips confession, Pose as the slave of sensuousness, and live, Taste tenderness in dream-filled sensations. Time is my teacher, newly ordained, One moment stilled, a precious moment gained. © Sam Gilliland Residing in Scotland, Sam Gilliland is a champion of Lallans (the Scottish language) poetry and a recipient of Sangschaw’s prestigious MacDiarmid Tassie. With three previous collections of poetry published his work in Scots includes A Rickle O Banes (Penny Wheep Press). Founder/Secretary of Ayrshire Writers & Artists Society the organisation became the home of The Scottish International Open Poetry Competition, to which he devoted twenty eight years of his life as co-administrator and judge. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 7 Responses David Paul Behrens July 9, 2018 ‘Only the Dead may feel self-satisfied’ reminds me of the name of an old rock band, the Grateful Dead. Reply Sam Gilliland July 11, 2018 Thank you, David. Must check out THE GRATEFUL DEAD, anything that tickles the imagination! Wonderful. Aye & aye, Sam. Reply David Paul Behrens July 10, 2018 I failed to mention, in my above comments, these sonnets are outstanding. Reply Leo Yankevich July 10, 2018 These are both well-made sonnets. There’s no amateurish iambic thumping, only skill and an original voice singing of loss. Bravo! Reply C.B. Anderson July 10, 2018 I’m inclined to agree with (and echo) Leo. What most struck me most about both poems was that the progression of ideas was not linear, but tenuous, elliptical, and surreal. Reply sam gilliland July 20, 2018 Surrealism is certainly something to employ. To span eternity with a smile/and the universe in one stride/ becomes the poet, and with poetic guile/ conceals what lies within – outside! Aye & aye, Sam. Reply sam gilliland July 20, 2018 Thank you, Leo! Aye & aye, Sam Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
David Paul Behrens July 9, 2018 ‘Only the Dead may feel self-satisfied’ reminds me of the name of an old rock band, the Grateful Dead. Reply
Sam Gilliland July 11, 2018 Thank you, David. Must check out THE GRATEFUL DEAD, anything that tickles the imagination! Wonderful. Aye & aye, Sam. Reply
David Paul Behrens July 10, 2018 I failed to mention, in my above comments, these sonnets are outstanding. Reply
Leo Yankevich July 10, 2018 These are both well-made sonnets. There’s no amateurish iambic thumping, only skill and an original voice singing of loss. Bravo! Reply
C.B. Anderson July 10, 2018 I’m inclined to agree with (and echo) Leo. What most struck me most about both poems was that the progression of ideas was not linear, but tenuous, elliptical, and surreal. Reply
sam gilliland July 20, 2018 Surrealism is certainly something to employ. To span eternity with a smile/and the universe in one stride/ becomes the poet, and with poetic guile/ conceals what lies within – outside! Aye & aye, Sam. Reply
