Pen'D Poem: October 20 - 26

The Mortician of Inevitable Immortality
J.V. Stanley

Here I stand upon
the precipice of life and death.
The work slowly molded
within lifetimes of synapses
points,
counterpoints
philosophies
circumventing through tapestries
lain out among stark white sheets.
The end, ever plain and ever so demanding.

I begin my procedure, preservation attuned
to the intricate details of what once was life
bearing fruits of knowledge
transgressions and mishaps
interplayed and poured into volumes
yet not even a lifetime could ever contrive.

I make the incision, intricately following the lines
post-dotted marks of post mortem thought.
It was alive, once…
breathing
against the lungs that cared not to draw breath
until the life was breathed in
and passion breathed out.

I cut away at the flesh, the vocabulary known
is unknown
although the truth is unbeknownst to its maker
and thus I make peace with that as
I watch the letters scrambling about
searching for the exit to make their escape.
Within a smooth red line of liquid crimson
their ballad is somber as some had marched in
the front lines, while others remain hidden within
the cavity.
I have to dig deeper to find them but I,
with fortuned heart at the ready,
reserved the most tender of organs for last.

They find their way down to the drain,
renegade thoughts that found themselves
lapping among the sides with the others
that came before.
For safeguarding is an art,
and justly warranted for the beauty and truth that
must be maintained
for memory’s and posterity’s sake.

I tie the knots, in artery, in place of which
I had bled what others could not.
Exchanged the red with the augmented solution
to the dire consequence of perfection.

But why…why must I do this?
Endure this process of preservation?
Prohibit the spread of volatile prophylaxis,
cutting the coagulating fluid and replacing it
with a subtle filtration system
in order to maintain the glorious intent
of life.
Why must one exert themselves,
struggle with tutelage,
safeguarding that which may become lost within memory
and will eventually hide among the other corpses,
buried
forgotten.
One final glance at the stark white sheet
riddled with splotches of blood sweated
from its creation only to be
then lost within the realm of time?

I preserve this work not for its demise
nor for its fractured existence as it falls
upon eyes that live
and breathe
reincarnating the memory
of a memory-
I prepare for its afterlife.
For with time, it will remain
for once it is finished
it will be as it will be remembered,
always,
even at the final glance as it is laid to rest.
Perfectly preserved wrapped in a blanket of linen
touched with delicate hands
in honor of the beauty of it when it was
a living breathing thought.
I assist in its venture into the next life;
the immortal world of words that live on
through the pages of history-
their mark upon this realm
in constant grace of creative perfection.


©2013 J.V. Stanley

 http://jvstanley.weebly.com/

J. V. Stanley is the co-author of ‘Fire and Water’ a collaborative collection of poetry currently available on Amazon. Her recent projects include her debut novel, 'Faces In Still Waters' with an expected publication date of October/November 2013 and ‘Irony, Karma, And Fate Walk Into A Bar', a collection of epic style poetry, prose, and short stories expected to be published January 2014. She has over forty articles and poems published, six literary awards under her belt, and over 15 years of experience tutoring over 30 individuals in English and creative writing. 

She is the Founder and CEO of Writerz Block, an editing service dedicated to serving independent authors and students with one-on-one attention. In her devotion to multicultural literature and her experience working with ESL writers, she took upon the position of Development and Marketing Director for Miracle E-zine in January 2013 where she also writes the book review column. Currently in the last year of the Bachelors program in English and Communications through the University of Phoenix, she also incorporates independent study of philosophy and interpersonal communication. She thanks the millions of coffee beans who willingly sacrificed their existence for all of her creative and domestic endeavors.