I want to wash my hands in angelic fire
and bring them home to Mother pure as snow.
But it is a mean, unruly world where
I want to wash my hands in angelic fire.
I want to join my song to the angel's choir,
where wicked and unjust men run the show.
I want to wash my hands in angelic fire
and bring them home to Mother pure as snow.
* submitted for the prompt at dversepoets.com
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Clean Hands
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Hi Charles, I think (no matter how old we are) we always want to bring the best to Mother....and for Mother to see our gifts as 'pure as snow.' Loved your poem!
ReplyDeletedo you think is there a difference between angelic fire and arch-angelic fire?
ReplyDeleteverification makes it really hard to comment. you'd get more comments if you turned it off
I don't know angeology all that much, though I've heard that Satan was an archangel and I've heard about Michael. Strangely, perhaps, that kind of thing does not interest me much. Since this poem is supposed to be child-like statement, the niceties of angelology didn't come into play. PS I've turned off everything for verification etc. in blogger, so I don't know what else to do about this issue.
DeleteThe child and the man run before the impulse to innocence here, holding on to fire that can cleanse and heal as it burns, despite all evidence to the contrary. The compulsion to find the transformative, the need to fly above, rise above the contrary--all here in these simple rhymes. The triolet makes a very nicely turned out and form-fitting wrapping as well.This was really excellent reading, Charles.
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done Charles, as the Mama of a boy I understand the dirty hands of boys and the desire to come home clean as well. An enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteit is probably going to take a lot of angels to wash my hands man...there is an interesting contrast in these lines...
ReplyDeleteI want to join my song to the angel's choir,
where wicked and unjust men run the show.
"where wicked and unjust men run the show" ... Ha!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Well done. K.
ReplyDeleteThis one holds a slightly sombre tone. Isn't it amazing how the soundtrack or movie picture in your mind starts to spawn lines that serve as the seedling to this ooem.
ReplyDeleteWhat would make it worse is if there's a song or movie which influenced the lines you refer to but which I'm not conscious of. Please let me know what they might be.
Deletegreat symbolism in this charles...the desire to get the hands clean...the fire...snow...love the metaphors here...great job..
ReplyDeleteI love the sentiment -- and appreciate the difficulty -- yet the space you had to work in, IMO, is just too tight to accomplish what I think you set out to name. I much prefer the latitude and elbow-room of "Angel Voices." Hard indeed it is to get clean, washing one's hands in such dirtied water. (Like wise the act of writing poetry, try to come clean with words -- though we try, we try.)
ReplyDeleteI love the innocence, set against those men of contrary flames, who look like the angels...such a sweetness to this, despite the serious subject...ahh...I wonder if a mother evers thinks to find & show their hands of pure snow...
ReplyDeleteAngel choirs..hmmm...'behind the face of the buddha lies the heart of the scorpion'...you and the chinese agree on this one.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful, filled with longing and wistfulness ... a lovely take on the form ...
ReplyDeletehttp://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.com/2012/03/grief-leaves-heart.html
Excellent response to the challenge. A delightful piece.
ReplyDeleteLike Hedge said, the compulsion to find the transformative. This really speaks to me.
ReplyDeleteis this about Lady MacBeth
ReplyDeleteverification makes it really hard to comment. you'd get more comments if you turned it off