Netherworld View

Where water burns, declines to drench
or chills the touch, neglects to quench
or flames may freeze in focused smoke
as sparks char hearts with searing fears
and open air starves every breath
while mind revives relentless death:

here rives the river known as Styx
of ferried souls no peace afflicts
adrift toward novel netherworlds
when shadows steer and shivers curl
beside that gate all hopes go lost
were you to wait until you crossed.

And yet we see no prospects died:
escape and break against that tide.
Evade this Hades you conceive.
Embrace good truths you can believe
and salvage sense before this night
drowns out the stars and all your light.




Netherworld View © Copyright 2021, Robert J. Tiess.

View this poem at AllPoetry.com

Anne Dillard inspiration challenge prompt - link: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2749235-Annie-Dillard-Quote-Prompt
Submitted: May 8, 2020









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