O, Absalom!
Ensnared by long hair in the
Boughs of an oak,
Pierced through the heart three times–
The shimmer of life fading.
I,
Pulled into mysteries
Abandoned by love
Given over to lust
Charged with stolen rapture
Dizzy as a drunken dervish-
One hand up to Heaven
One hand spills to Earth
Skirts stiffened with sins hard as stone
Corrupted over a life time and now–
Flayed on an unending mandala.
Mystery of Life,
Unstoppable desire,
O beautiful Absalom,
We float upon a divine river
Entangled in the reeds of human wanting.
This is our nature,
This our calling while
Flesh answers flesh.
What quarter be given when the heart
Overwhelmed by passion’s excess?
Lie still–
Let the waters cleanse our loins,
Mud of the banks soothe our wounds,
Our blood mingle with the floating grasses,
Our hearts sink beneath the surface.
Let the rivers of Babylon
Carry us away.
—
Jane Kohut-Bartels
Copyrighted, 2017
Tags: d'versepoets pub, love poetry....grief and loss, O Absalom!, poetry
Lady Nyo's Weblog 
August 24, 2017 at 7:15 pm
I love how you have brought he old stories (grisly indeed) to life… I had to google the story to see the background.
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August 24, 2017 at 7:19 pm
Such a sad story is this tale of Absalom. You did it much justice in your writing.
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August 24, 2017 at 7:44 pm
I know there must be a back story to Absalom that I don’t know but the tale is all familiar with unending human desire and the many ways it can entrap us. Such beautifully descriptive writing, Jane…speaks of tragedy.
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August 24, 2017 at 7:48 pm
Thank you, Gayle. I didn’t know the story either, but I was drawn to the name “Absalom”. I did some research and found it was Biblical. Although….I read this poem to a 80 year old nun, and she was made very uncomfortable. LOL!
Thank you, Gayle.
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August 24, 2017 at 7:50 pm
Well, Toni, you would know the basics of this biblical tale better than I. I don’t know what drew me to write this poem….but I do know that Babylon and dervishes are united in my mind for some reason. LOL!
Thank you, dear soul.
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August 24, 2017 at 7:51 pm
Funny, Bjorn. I didn’t have a clue who Absalom was, except a vague biblical character. But the name was a temptation. And anytime you can throw dervishes in the pot, it’s good to go. Poetically speaking, I mean.
Thank you, Bjorn!
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August 24, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Somehow that made me smile. Maybe the poor dear found it too “graphic” for her liking.
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August 24, 2017 at 11:08 pm
Yep, a sweet 80 year plus old Irish Catholic nun who was tough as nails on a daily basis, but blushed mightily at the ‘sins’ in the poem. LOL!
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August 25, 2017 at 12:37 am
Love all the amazing images in this, especially,
‘Dizzy as a drunken dervish-
One hand up to Heaven
One hand spills to Earth’
I had to look for this story as well.
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August 25, 2017 at 12:59 am
I am familiar with the story and I believe David would have loved this poem to his son.
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August 25, 2017 at 1:39 am
Filled with passion as always Jane ~ Love this part:
We float upon a divine river
Entangled in the reeds of human wanting.
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August 25, 2017 at 9:38 am
I had heard of the name but had to look it up – and I’ve learnt something new! I like how you have adopted biblical language in this poem, Jane, and especially love the lines:
‘The shimmer of life fading’;
‘Charged with stolen rapture’;
and
‘Entangled in the reeds of human wanting’.
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August 25, 2017 at 12:29 pm
Thank you, Kim.This poem as a bit of age on it, but wrote it with passion.
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August 25, 2017 at 12:30 pm
Thank you, Grace.
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August 25, 2017 at 12:30 pm
Thank you! That is the Highest praise I can imagine.
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August 25, 2017 at 12:31 pm
Me, too. LOL! thank you for reading it.
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August 25, 2017 at 1:59 pm
“Skirts stiffened with sins hard as stone” – wonderful!
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August 25, 2017 at 2:38 pm
Thank you, qbit.
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August 26, 2017 at 3:20 am
I love the name Absalom, but had never heard the story. I’ll bet you read the poem to the nun just to see her reaction, naughty girl!
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August 26, 2017 at 6:38 am
Wonderful! My favorite part is “dizzy as a drunken dervish.” I also thought it was interesting that you incorporated dervishes and mandalas in this poem about a Biblical story.
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August 26, 2017 at 4:24 pm
Well, you write what you know. Demons, too.
LOL! Thank you for reading and your kind comment.
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August 26, 2017 at 4:27 pm
sarah….actually I was pretty naive as to the reaction of Sister Marie. But she claims to be proud of me and my poetry. Because of the poetry, I guess. LOL!
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August 30, 2017 at 7:11 pm
Too funny, Jane!
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