Ekphrasis With Toothing Chainsaw in Unnamed Halhul Vineyard
a Markov Sonnet
The waraq, empty of chlorophyll, hung chewed & dangling
Because there was no witness amidst the yellowing foliage.
The toothing beast’s rapture, heavy in the air like a song.
***
Because there was no witness amidst the yellowing foliage,
The toothing beast’s rapture, heavy in the air like a song
Unfamiliar to soil-worn hands, harvesting small implosions.
***
The toothing beast’s rapture, heavy in the air like a song
Unfamiliar to soil-worn hands. Harvesting small implosions,
A marble heaven built over hill & tomb, reaches everywhere.
***
Unfamiliar to soil-worn hands harvesting small implosions,
A marble heaven built over hill & tomb reaches everywhere
The unyellowed, muting wind can neither stain nor uproot.
***
A marble heaven built over hill & tomb reaches everywhere.
The unyellowed, muting wind can neither stain nor uproot
A land ungodded – the dead’s hollow, hallowed roaring.
***
The unyellowed, muting wind can neither stain nor uproot
A land ungodded. The dead’s hollow, hallowed roaring
Silence, interrupted by riot of metal teeth & ricochet
***
A land ungodded the dead’s hollow, hallowed roaring
Silence. Interrupted by riot of metal teeth & ricochet,
A country can only be accountable for the screams.
***
Silence interrupted by riot of metal teeth & ricochet.
A country can only be accountable for the screams
We cannot unhear or unwrite from our memory.
***
A country can only be accountable for the screams
We cannot unhear or unwrite. From our memory,
A history unfragmented, free of limbs disfigured.
***
We cannot unhear or unwrite, from our memory,
A history unfragmented. Free of limbs disfigured,
Would you believe me if I said I bled for this?
***
A history unfragmented free of limbs disfigured.
Would you believe me if I said I bled for this?
Leaves caught in my throat like a contradiction
***
Would you believe me if I said I bled for this –
Leaves caught in my throat like a contradiction:
Name name name unname name –
name name name unname name –
Copyright Credit: George Abraham, "Ekphrasis With Toothing Chainsaw in Unnamed Halhul Vineyard." Copyright © 2019 by George Abraham. Used by permission of the author for PoetryNow.
Source: PoetryNow (2019)