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A Cold Day In Hell
"Enough is enough!"
He said as only God can
Visited old emnity at long last
Pounded on the molten gates
That hid his bitterest foe
"We need talking now, a peace,"
He generously extended a hand
"You've reigned supremely graceful
Over this desolate land."
The lord of lies was at a loss
Powerful tears of pain and sorrow
Wet his shamed angry face
"Put it to God to come and
Wound me to the marrow.
What words can bridge the
Darkened abyss between us
My angellic days are long lost
My feet grounded my heart
Blackened with my dark duties."
"Today is sadness the choir
Of eternity has missed one
Singular voice."
God beckoned
Hand of welcome extended toward
The lightbringer
"Your darkest of lights
Has always been a part of everything
And your regret has drowned it."
Lucifer was silent a lost lord
With a map home quietly turns away
And rips it to pieces like snow
ah, ues... there can only be light because there is darkness... and i've visited both... yr poem well done. good insight into life. eric
Excellent dramatic poem, Matthew--it is very suggestive and evocative. I like the way you handle dialogue and intesperse it with short, sharp descriptions. I like the way the poem suggests a God who "regrets" his dealings with his son Lucifer. God's regret seems to suggest that God has not always been fair to Lucifer. In the poem, God acknoledges Lucifer's "work" as "supremely graceful," suggesting not only that God is aware of the Prince of Darkness's divine nature, but that he has done a fine work. Does this recognition on God's part mean Lucifer is in fact doing God's work? Lucifer's reference to his dark "duties," may support this contention. Line 26 would also seem to support this view. In line 26, Lucifer refers to God's "darkest of lights." Traditionally, Lucifer's light has been "dark," since his fall from Heaven. HIs is a light that neither illumines nor gives warmth. If Lucifer has always been a "part of everything," of God's design, this would also suggest that Lucifer is in fact doing God's work. Not only that, in lines 13-14, Lucifer speaks of being "wound[ed]...to the marrow" by God, an acknowledgment of God' cruelty. "Enough is enough!" exclaims God at the beginning of the poem--yet, he seems unable to stop the evil he seems to be responsible for. There is an unsurmountable gap between him and his fallen son. Lucifer not only says so in the poem, but "quietly turns away/ And rips [the map home] to pieces." Excellent! Matthew! Very good ending. Some suggestions: wouldn't it be a good idea to capitalize "Old Enmity" (l. 3)? This would individualize the reference to Lucifer and add strength to the line. I am not very sure I like the word "said," (l. 2). It is a very plain term and I feel it is a bit weak and non-descriptive. "Lightbringer," (l. 26) seems a bit misleading. As I mentioned before, Lucifer's light does not actually shine, its essence is basically cold black light. "Lightbringer" has positive connotations: to bring light to something or someone, to enlighten, to "bring to light," which one would not normally think of as applying to Lucifer. I find punctuation somewhat inconsistent. Sometimes there are commas and periods; sometimes they are ommitted. This is a bit disconcerting, and makes some parts difficult to understand. All in all, it is a great poem, Matthew. Excellent handling of the subject. Keep up the good work!