I’ve cast my crumbling
journal to the winds
and now only the breeze
will ever know her secret;
but the breeze allured
by melting snowflakes
has fled for shelter
into the silence of the caves.
Her porcelain beauty
sparkles in the tunnels
and a gloam lilac light
embroiders thirteen silk verses
on the lace of her raised gown.
Soon, the deranged guard
will come on his silver bike
craving the stern sobriety
of the winter blizzard.
Violet whispers and the drunken poetry of fifteen dancing cicadas drown the furious orders of the priest. “They will die by the morning” he howls in distress to the north wind but no one will listen to his sermon. The preacher chants a canticle from his god-fearing parchments but he is too late to scold us and all the poppies burst open on the rocks with ungodly relish.
Part of the cycle of poems thirteen silk verses
A few words about the poem…
The Enigmatic Journey of Thirteen Silk Verses - From The Collection Cyprus Poems
Amidst the enchanting and surrealist verses of "Thirteen Silk Verses," a coming-of-age poem within the "Cyprus Poems" collection, a realm of intricate emotions and imagery unfolds, woven into a tapestry of enigmatic beauty. These verses beckon the reader to a land and time where defiance and reverence intermingle, capturing a deeply religious setting where love and innocence exist under the weight of societal expectations. In a world where clandestine feelings are restrained by cultural and religious norms, the poem delicately presents a young couple’s tentative journey into a forbidden romance, as they meet at the sea and find themselves caught between personal longing and the rigid disapproval of a watchful society.
The poem opens with the narrator discarding his crumbling journal to the winds, symbolising the relinquishing of secrets and memories to the elements, as if to protect them from society’s critical gaze. Only the breeze holds her secret now, carrying whispered affections into the silence of hidden caves. These same caves, sheltering what society cannot see, become a sanctuary for the young couple's budding love. Her porcelain beauty, glowing within the dim, lilac-lit tunnels, imbues her with an ethereal presence as "thirteen silk verses" are embroidered onto the lace of her gown, creating a fragile yet profound image of youthful innocence on the edge of discovery. This whispered intimacy, captured in the poem, evokes the hushed and restrained nature of their love, conveyed as a silent rebellion against societal constraints.
As the snowflakes yield, the breeze becomes the silent guardian of whispered secrets, carrying them through ethereal corridors of time. In this cryptic ballet, a porcelain beauty graces dimly lit tunnels, her gown transformed into a canvas that lilac light adorns with verses spun from silk. Violet whispers rise, a haunting echo matched only by the mysterious melodies of dancing cicadas. Here, within the symphony of nature, the priest's commands wane, his presence dissolving like mist in the wind. Instead, red poppies burst forth on the rocks, a vibrant testament to defiance, as the human spirit embraces resilience with unyielding fervour.
Nature itself seems to defy the rigid moral codes, as cicadas and wild poppies rise in subtle rebellion against the fury of the preacher and the priest, whose attempts to control the couple’s burgeoning love go unanswered. In one striking scene, the priest’s furious commands are drowned out by the cicadas’ song, while the guard, arriving “on his silver bike,” is likened to the winter blizzard, a cold and unrelenting force intent on quashing their intimacy. But nature—lush and unapologetic—asserts its own beauty and life, a silent but vibrant reminder that love, like the poppies, will bloom despite all obstacles.
Beyond the tapestry of words lies an intricate puzzle, a dance of interpretations waiting to be discovered. The verses, seemingly distant from reality, reflect a mirror upon which one's own journey of defiance and strength is cast. A reflection of whispered desires and concealed intentions, this series dances on the edge of understanding, a labyrinth where the mystique is an integral player.
"Thirteen Silk Verses" is a celebration of human intricacies, an exploration of beauty that is as elusive as it is alluring. Through its whispers and secrets, it becomes a riddle to decipher and a journey that captivates the curious. The poem beckons, a siren's call into the depths of the unknown, where defiance and beauty intertwine, and interpretations waver like shadows in the mist. The sea, the breeze, the caves, and even the wild poppies in bloom become accomplices in this secret romance, embodying a gentle rebellion that defines the collection “Cyprus Poems” in its timeless, understated beauty.
Analysis of the Themes in the Poem
"Thirteen Silk Verses" traverses themes of forbidden love, innocence, and defiance against societal expectations. This young couple's love, expressed through glances and whispered secrets, is set against the backdrop of a conservative society, which imposes a strict moral code. Within this framework, the poem examines the tension between personal desire and communal judgment. The notion of innocence intertwined with rebellion permeates the verse, as the couple’s love is portrayed as both pure and defiant. Their feelings, intimate and tender, are sheltered within the natural world, suggesting a deep bond with nature that transcends human law and mirrors the beauty of unspoken, restrained affection.
Analysis of the Verse
The poem employs free verse, allowing each line to flow organically, echoing the unrestrained nature of the protagonists' feelings. The stanza breaks create pauses that mirror moments of tension and reflection, while the verse structure captures a sense of movement and subtlety. This fluid form is interwoven with evocative imagery and symbolic references that invite the reader to linger on each moment of secret longing. The rhythm in the verse captures the quiet rebellion against societal constraints, using shifts in pacing to underscore the oscillation between secrecy and defiance, embodying the very nature of the protagonists’ connection.
Analysis of the Symbolism
Symbolism plays a vital role, adding layers to the poem’s narrative of hidden love and defiance. The journal cast to the wind reflects the narrator’s decision to release control, entrusting memories to nature as if in tacit defiance of human judgment. The “breeze” itself becomes a carrier of secrets, guiding their story to the hidden “caves,” which serve as a metaphor for both sanctuary and the unspoken realm of their love. Other symbols, such as snowflakes and cicadas, represent fleeting moments and the resilience of natural life, while the “silver bike” of the guard symbolizes societal oppression, metallic and cold, in stark contrast to the warm, organic imagery of the couple’s surroundings. Each element is carefully selected to contrast society’s constraints with the organic beauty of nature and love.
Main Poetic Imagery
The poem’s imagery envelops readers in a world of hidden intimacy and youthful longing, with recurrent images of light and shadow. The portrayal of “thirteen silk verses” embroidered on the lace of her gown invites the reader to visualise her innocence and beauty as tangible, woven into the very fabric of the scene. Lilac light casts an ethereal glow, creating an almost magical aura around the young woman and evoking a surreal atmosphere that distances their love from the harshness of reality. The natural imagery of violets, cicadas, and wild poppies bursting on the rocks further imbues the scene with life and colour, grounding the poem in the earthy, tactile world even as the couple’s emotions transcend the physical.
Religious Symbolism Impact
Religious symbolism is woven into the poem to highlight the clash between personal feeling and societal expectation. The preacher, representative of moral authority, chants from "god-fearing parchments," embodying the institutional force against which the young lovers rebel. This symbolism intensifies as the preacher’s stern voice fades into the background, overpowered by cicadas and natural sounds that reflect the resilience of nature and love. The use of “poppies bursting open” symbolises the triumph of beauty over constraint, the force of life overpowering suppression. Through this religious symbolism, "Thirteen Silk Verses" captures the tension between orthodox values and human emotion, while ultimately aligning the lovers with the natural world’s unyielding beauty and strength.
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