Reprieve
Remember Adam and The Apple?
Recall Robert Johnson at The Crossroads?
The traveler standing where “two roads diverged
in a yellow wood*” ring a bell?
Yes or no
Right or left
Myth
Empty reflection
Imagine reality of
endless hallway
endless doors,
each a decision
that must be made
before proceeding.
Behind each door
endless hallway
endless doors,
each a decision
that must be made
before proceeding.
Pluck me from
hamster wheel
doom of doors.
Plunk me into
games of words,
plays of planting,
petting pretty fur,
grandchild’s laugh
as reprieve from
sentence,
imprisonment
in execut-ive
malfunctioning.
*from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.
Top image: Vincent van Gogh, Window in the Studio (1889)
Mish is today’s host of dVerse’ Open Link Night.
Tao Talk 
I love the image of that laborinth you describe, which is how I see the library of Borges… I hope you have read the library of Babel...
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Just finished reading it. Thanks for the share. Definitely feels Borgesian. As he said, some may find comfort in the idea, and in some respects it does for me also, but I don’t like the idea of there not being space for no-library.
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A bit eery the wording you chose. Synchronicity I suppose. (When you see my email.) I’d rather be playing with my kids than in an endless loop hallway of doors, every time.
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Wow on the synchronicity!
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The title really fits the poem, Lisa; a reprieve from choices would be like returning to childhood and letting other people make them for you, especially in an endless hallway of endless doors, a nightmare situation!
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Thanks much, Kim.
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You’re welcome, Lisa.
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Dream-like, yet nightmarish — these endless doors demanding choice, each choice an execution of others. Goes so well with Van Gogh’s painting, Lisa.
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Thanks very much, Someone.
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Your poem made me think of the scene from the Matrix Reloaded where the Keymaker is trying to find the right key for the door to escape and there’s myriad upon myriad of doors 🙂
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Yes! I think of a fractal also.
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I have dreams like this and these lines really struck home
“Pluck me from
hamster wheel
doom of doors.”
Your choice of van Gogh fits the poem well considering his own nightmarish demons
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Thank you very much, Laura. I have those dreams sometimes.
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That mirror labyrinth of doors can overwhelm. But spending time with your garden, your granddaughter, your writing, your cats–all very grounding, a way to keep those doors at bay. I agree that Van Gogh is a good match to your poem. (K)
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Kerfe, you’re right, it is a way. After reading that pdf of Borges’ library that Bjorn linked to I think he matches pretty well also.
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I love all the examples you gave…or the imagery…whichever you call it.
I also really like the 50s looking picture.
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Thanks, Max. That is a picture VanGogh painted of his room at the asylum. I love it!
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Oh it is awesome… I love those classic artists.
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I especially relate to game of words and grandchildren’s laughter. All those doors and hallways give me a twinge of anxiety.
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Colleen, glad you connect with the poem. When I’m not doing those things of reprieve, welcome to my mind.
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I don’t want to imagine that reality, but you made me….with those terse lines flowing, pulling me along, to the left, to the right, and round and round on a never ending wheel of decisions. I really like what you did here….”execut-ive malfunctioning”.
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Mish I’m glad you connected with the poem. Thank you. Hope all went well at the doc’s.
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Thanks, Lisa. :) It was a bit of a mixed bag. Moderate sleep apnea but I was given some good ideas to try improving it on my own first.
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<3
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I could feel my anxiety rise…those endless hallways and doors with decisions to be made. Then the hamster wheel this was me last week…overwhelmed!! That’s why I walk in nature…no constructed doors only archways to other worlds. I love this painting by Vincent Van Gogh. Mish’s prompt with those lovely yellow flowers sent me into Vincents landscapes!
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Di, I appreciate your comment, and both glad and sorry you know the feeling. Nature does seem to be the healer for such afflictions. Yes, those lovely flowers could have jumped from a Van Gogh painting!
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I like the way you expand upon Frost’s poem and that famous line… bringing it into today’s often conflict-filled inner and outer worlds, Lisa. Excellent image selection, too.
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Your thoughts on the poem are much appreciated, thanks!
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My pleasure!
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Color me gob-smacked. From the perfect work of art to your last line, doors, repetition, back and forth and back again. Plunk me, yes indeedy!!! GREAT writing, Lisa.
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So happy you enjoyed the poem. Thanks, Helen!
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Such a fascinating poem, Li. I agree with others that the Van Gogh is perfect. I like how you reference Johnson and Frost, but give your reprieve in garden and grandchildren. I suppose every minute you make decisions that could have gone another way–lots of sci-fi built on that idea.
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Merril, your feedback is appreciated. Glad you find the poem fascinating.
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You’re welcome, Li!
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Lisa you tread the line between decision-making dream and nightmare consummately…
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Andrew I appreciate you saying so. Thank you :)
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Where one would find the doors and hallways exciting and full of opportunity, others feel overwhelm. Yes, pluck me from it before I fear the adventure!
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Insightful comment, Dale.
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Ooh. I like being insightful ;-)
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:)
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😊
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“endless hallway, endless doors” reminded me of the house of mirrors maze. I don’t enjoy those, either. Who needs the anxiety? I really like your wordplay with “execut-ive” and the list of things you’d rather be plunked into!
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Thanks, Jennifer and glad you can relate.
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What if Adam had not eaten the apple or Robert Johnson not sold his soul to the devil? I believe that possibilities are very real, and if a scenario doesn’t happen, something else that’s destined to happen will happen. There are many realities. Even the Bible seems to support this. Jesus rebukes Tyre and Sidon and says if he did what he did there in Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented. I’m not sure if the multiverse is real though. The truth seems complicated lol.
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Big ifs indeed. It may not be real, but it is real enough. Truth is complicated — and relative.
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So much said in your poem, Lisa! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! :D
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“Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
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A beautiful poem Li
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Thank you very much.
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You’re very welcome ☺️
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I wanted to hide under my bed with the dogs after reading your poem. Good job!
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Sorry you felt that urge, C4Y2. Welcome to my world. Thank you.
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I love the line where you say “plunk me into games of words”. It is what I feel when I think about putting other things aside to get myself to sit and write.
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Exactly, Christine. Glad the line resonated for you.
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For me this poem sounds like when I need a reprieve from the rat race of the corporate world – the hamster wheel of endless camera-on meetings, decisions and trade-offs, and hours in front of a blue screen, or, as you said, “imprisonment
in execut-ive malfunctioning.” The nurturing that happens organically with gardening, grandchildren and feline-petting is indeed the antidote.
Your poem really works when read aloud, too. 😊
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Kim, so happy the poem resonates with you and glad to hear it works being read aloud :)
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Nightmarishly fascinating , Li! Love how you strung the words and yes, thankfully there is reprieve. ❤️
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Thank you and yes, it is <3
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You are welcome. 🙂
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yes Lisa, your poetry style has positively flourished since I last visited … my loss!
Really loving this VvG, one I’ve never seen and immediately fell in love; and always a fan of RF, great combo to base this on :)
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Thanks much, Kate. That painting is one we wrote an ekphrastic to awhile ago and I thought of using it after writing this poem.
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it’s really awesome, I’m tempted to store it for use :)
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:)
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