R.L. Martinez's Blog, page 12

Startling Poetry: The Sadness of the Moon

The Sadness of the Moon by Charles Baudelaire HE Moon more indolently dreams to-night Than a fair woman on her couch at rest, Caressing, with a hand distraught and light, Before she sleeps, the contour of her breast. Upon her silken avalanche of down, Dying she breathes a long and swooning sigh; And watches the […]

Startling Poetry: The Wasteland

Another long one, but so so beautiful. The Wasteland by T. S. Eliot I. The Burial of the Dead   April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. Winter kept us warm, covering Earth in forgetful snow, feeding A little life […]

Startling Poetry: How to Write the Great American Indian Novel

How to Write the Great American Indian Novel by Sherman Alexie All of the Indians must have tragic features: tragic noses, eyes, and arms. Their hands and fingers must be tragic when they reach for tragic food.   The hero must be a half-breed, half white and half Indian, preferably from a horse culture. He […]

Startling Poetry: Cloud of Red

This one’s mine… Cloud of Red by R. L. Martínez For J. B.   Salt seas fill with light, Pinwheels of color I never could master.   Rockaway, baby, close your sweet eyes   The water laps my feet with cold tongues, Beckons with white crooked fingers.   When the day breaks, the Village will […]

Startling Poetry: The Maiden

The Maiden by Natan Alterman She spun in silence a red thread, Red as a pomegranate’s heart. The king inside his chamber said: “She spins me clothes to wear at court.”   She spun in silence a black thread, That darkens day. Far from the king, The thief locked up in prison said: “She spins […]

Startling Poetry: Howl

This is a long poem, tightly packed with meaning and imagery. But it’s SO worth the read. Howl by Allen Ginsberg I   I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly […]

Startling Poetry: The Second Coming

The Second Coming by W. B. Yeats Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst […]

Startling Poetry: Driving into the Wreck

Driving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich First having read the book of myths, and loaded the camera, and checked the edge of the knife-blade, I put on the body-armor of black rubber the absurd flippers the grave and awkward mask. I am having to do this not like Cousteau with his assiduous team aboard […]

Startling Poetry: Somebody Blew Up America

Sorry I’ve missed a few days. I’ll try to make up for them by making all the remaining poems this month off-the-charts startling. Beginning with today’s selection below. Enjoy! Somebody Blew Up America by Amiri Baraka They say its some terrorist, some barbaric A Rab, in Afghanistan It wasn’t our American terrorists It wasn’t the […]

Character Portrait: Oriabel

Hi everyone! I’m excited to introduce the newest character portrait for my In the Blood characters by Diana Pinguicha. This one is of Oriabel Dominax. Lady. Healer. Sister. Witch. Oriabel Dominax has always known fear. Her father, in an attempt to protect her, never hid what would happen to her if the people of Corlaan […]