Monday 28 March 2011

Children of the Night : Glikman / Paciorek

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Illustration by Andy Paciorek

Creatures of the Night : A poem by Boris Glikman


These are

creatures of the

Night

that I

cannot

bear during

Daytime.

 

Day, uncouth, arrogant Day

deigns no comfort for

their existence.

Only Night, demure

soft-speaking Night

broods them

to the fullness

of term.

 

For the rude,

intolerant brightness

of Day

shrieks at

their unnatural visage,

pushes them back

into the womb’s

abode.

 

Only night’s Moon

succours them

with its milky radiance,

the golden mead

of the Sun

being as though

vilest viper venom

to their young

tender mouths.

 

No birth pangs

accompany

their creation,

fully-formed

they spring forth

with such hale vigour,

confidence

that I become

but an adjunct,

a pale copy

of their existence,

as if they are

the begetter

and I am but a helpless infant

devoid of all knowledge,

sapped of all

force.


Born with

no blood

nor nature’s yolk

they feast

on the nearest flesh

consuming voraciously

that of which they came,

devouring,

like hideous grubs,

their creator

from inside.


So eager are they

to leave their natal home,

they themselves

chew off

the life cord

that once

bound them to me,

My own offspring

made my

nemesis.

 

Text © Boris Glikman http://bozlich.gather.com/

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979168513


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