and a challenge for the street photographer:
Anesthesia
Anesthesia
numbs
no answers from God--
dulls the razor sting
of a nightmare's web
entrapping his daily visions...
of raising a sniper's scope
to children playing
across the shadowy streets
of El Salvador...
of running free
to distant borders--
his dead brother
stuffed in a barrel
for retaliation...
of distancing
from his pleading wife
in obscuring hazes
of stupor--
separating pain
from her...and himself...
and of a distant father
lost--
watching his children
becoming lost
by their own methods
of anesthesia.
The jagged shards of
memory
lie about his
closed room--
the alcohol dripping
into the edges
and anesthetizing the wounds...
but never sterilizing.
October 14, 2010
And now the challenge: I gave you an image for your mind so now find me a photo to match. It doesn't matter what nationality, if it is a photo that resembles the man in the poem or the scene-- or just a street image representing your feelings. It should be whatever part of the poem conveys the strongest image to you. We have talented street photographers here that I much admire. You know, I have always wanted to do this here in this forum. I started out writing poetry long before I did photography, but they are one of the same IMO--only different expressive mediums. A good poem is a few words which creates a vivid picture in our minds. It captures a moment in life. What is a good photo? It captures a moment in life which implants a few vivid words in our head. I did not give you an easy poem with obvious and detailed images. However, there are strong emotional ones in there. I believe, if you are up to this, the results will be very interesting, compelling and very unique. Fascinating actually as it may reveal as much about the photographer as it does about the poem. Take your time.
By the way, the above poem is based on a true story.
