I’m known by all yet grokked through ten k souls.
Near shell that glows or sticky goo insides,
Each soul is tweaked by different charms’ extolls.
A cache of coins, you seek me, priceless gold;
To some my haunt is never worth my shine.
I’m known by all yet grokked through ten k souls.
I’m found within a rose yet too in skin of troll,
In petal soft perfume and hardiness of slime.
Each soul is tweaked by different charms’ extolls.
I’m words and measured notes arranged just so,
drums gone daft, and newborn baby’s cry.
I’m known by all yet grokked through ten k souls.
“I’m sorry.” “You’re forgiven.” Grace bestowed.
“On your knees.” Broken spirit while I smile.
Each soul is tweaked by different charms’ extolls.
A puzzling taste, each flavor of the whole
and who’ll deny the relief I provide?
I’m known by all yet grokked through ten k souls.
Each soul is tweaked by different charms’ extolls.
Villanelle form
This poem is partially inspired by, “Crimes of the Future” (2022) a David Cronenberg movie I saw again recently. While so many hear his name and think horror, limiting his work to that label is doing a serious disservice to the man.
“Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus” (2006) is another excellent movie that explores the theme of what is/isn’t beautiful.
Kim is today’s host of dVerse’ Poetics. Kim says:
Choose one word from the list below (I’ve given definitions in brackets):
anachronism
filipendulous
limerence
petrichor
pulchritudinous (beautiful)
symphonia
Now use your chosen word as the title of a poem, in any form of your choice, which explores that word in one (or more) of the following ways:
anthropomorphise the word (give it human qualities)
use zoomorphism (give the word animal qualities)
objectify the word (describe it as an object)
• write the poem ‘through the eyes’ of the word – put yourself in its shoes
write a stream of consciousness or ‘abstract’ poem about the word
write an acrostic of the word
Tao Talk 
Well, they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Lisa, and you’ve explored that thoroughly in your anthropomorphic villanelle, and especially well in the lines:
‘Each soul is tweaked by different charms’ extolls’
and
‘I’m found within a rose yet too in skin of troll’,
which reminded me of the old riddles we used to get but don’t really see much these day.l,
I also really like:
‘I’m words and measured notes arranged just so,
drums gone daft, and newborn baby’s cry’.
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Kim thank you very much :)
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You do these with such apparent ease!
Wonderful.
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I wouldn’t say they are easy, but they are very enriching to do. Keeps the mind engaged in a purposeful way. Dale, thank you.
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I did add the word apparent… to show that your writing flows beautifully.
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Thank you once again. Your words humble me.
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😊
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Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder – magically written Lisa 🙌
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Ange, thank you and glad you see that <3
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Very well written, Lisa. That is one wierd statue! Beauty in the eye of the beholder!
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Thank you, Dwight. I’ve got a surprise for you: that is not a statue. That is a living man. The ears are fx make up and I’m not sure about the rest.
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Oh, Wow! I never would have guessed! Ug for the ears!!
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Dwight I understand the extreme is difficult to take in by the senses, and in the context of the film that is the whole point.
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p.s. I don’t know if the term exists but I am going to call it visual satire.
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that is a great description!
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Very good Lisa…a lot of good lines in that.
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Thanks much, Max.
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Excellent. I think I need to watch the movie now and see if I get anything further out of your beautiful poem.
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Oh wow! A very evocative poem Li.
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<3
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👍🏼
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you gave such a strong voice to the personification full of paradox and lyricism – a joy to read, especially #3 stanza
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Laura, your feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.
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This is so poignant! I especially admire; “I’m found within a rose yet too in skin of troll.” ❤️❤️
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Dear Sanaa, many thanks to you.
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I agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder… and indeed many things are both ugly and a matter of beauty… your poem made med think of a jellyfish actually
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Bjorn, thank you, and I’m glad it got you to thinking about it. It’s a topic I’ve given a lot of thought to and have a keen interest in. I am 99% sure you would love both of those movies.
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Such gorgeous juxtaposition… <3
~David
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David, so happy you like that part. Thanks :)
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amazing Li :-) great job on this one! <3
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:) <3
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Beauty has many faces, like the person you’ll think beautiful. You have some convincing faces. I had to look up “grok”, surprised the way you used it. It wouldn’t fit my vocabulary stack.
..
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Jim, what is a vocabulary stack? I’ve used grok ever since I read Robert Heinlein’s, “Stranger in a Strange Land.”
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Thank you, Lisa. I’m smiling, sometimes I make up my own words, poets license. My speaking Vocabulary Stack is most four and five letter words with some larger, very large I have learned to like and know. My reading Vocabulary Stack is much taller.
Strange Lands can have strange words. It was coined in 1961, I was beyond Contemporary Literature by then. I did though, have a course in British Lit in the early 1970’s when I went back to school.
I have not and probably won’t read that one of Heinlein’s.
..
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You’re welcome and thanks for the comment. Stranger in a Strange Land is about a Martian named Michael Valentine Smith who visits earth and tries to figure out, aka grok, humans. It’s a good story.
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