Recently I wrote a piece, REQUIEM, my requiem for the world I believed I lived in. A few days ago, I came to very different words. STANDING ON A POWERKEG. That’s very very different, by the way, from standing on a powderkeg. A powderkeg can blow up whoever is nearby. A powerkeg is fuel. It’s our own source of power.
I am including 2 versions, short, and slightly longer.
In the northern hemisphere, it’s springtime - growth. For many of you, it’s Easter - rebirth. Time for a fabulous powerkeg!
Here is it online, by the way:
https://elsas-word-story-image-idea-music-emporium.com/political-poem-power-keg.html
Standing on a powerkeg
on dynamite
Power surging in us
on the rise
sky high
Standing on both legs
on a powerkeg
not powderkeg
dry
The juice is flowing
streaming
I stand
we stand
on a powerkeg
on a lift-off ledge
We stand on the powerkeg
of fact
We are standing on a powerkeg
a book of matches, of facts, in hand
to set fire to
the paper-thin story
to burn away
their sorry story
We are holding the plug
to plug into
the powerkeg
of facts
to blow sky high
their sorry excuse
of a story, their lies
Elsa
March 15-28, 2024
© copyright Elsa Schieder, 2024, all rights reserved
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A LONGER VERSION
Standing on a powerkeg
on dynamite
their edifice
ready to blow
to go
to smithereens
Power surging for us
our edifice
on the rise
sky high
Standing on both legs
on a powerkeg
not powderkeg
dry
The juice is flowing
streaming
you hold the plug
you’ve lit the sky
time flies
the tinderbox
implodes
you rise
we rise
I stand
We stand
on a powerkeg
I stand
We stand
on a lift-off ledge
power!!!
We stand on the powerkeg
of facts, truth
Standing on a powerkeg
a match in hand
a fact
to set fire to
the paper-thin story
to burn away
the sorry story
We are holding the plug
to plug into
the powerkeg
of fact
to blow sky high
the sorry excuse
of a story, the lie
Elsa
March 15-31, 2024
© copyright Elsa Schieder, 2024, all rights reserved
Posted March 31, 2024
Love it! Yes!
In these times of advanced technical weaponry (and propaganda on steroids), the term 'powderkeg' may seem archaic--and yet this is the beauty of poetry! The poetic imagery in your example is something that I and many other people are feeling-no doubt. Film is another form of poetry, for the eyes--and your imagery suggests (por moi) the cinematic and narrative elements in "V for Vendetta"[2005] ...and the dialog in that movie was also poetic-from the English folk verse re Guy Fawkes: "Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!"...
'Keep your powder dry', and our eyes on the road...