At dVerse Sanaa is hosting poetics with an invitation to write a Gothic poem.
dVerse Poets – Poetics – Exploring Gothic as a Literary Genre
“I was made to rule the darkness.” Rae Hachton
The Gargoyles Near the witching hour the Bell & Candle spewed life into the streets of thick winters night, she, he, arm in arm, dared the other, a walk along darkling stream's thickets to cold cathedral cemetery where death's sting rang off the stone in heavy mortal silence, stilling all but leaping imaginations of shadows, she, he, stole kisses in mocking laughter beneath the angry walls of judgement, she, he, succumbed to the ancient spell of heated congress as above them narrow eyed gargoyles leered near, she, he, stumbled onwards home, she looking back to footfalls sounding, he hearing nothing, blithely, blindly, fell behind as she hastened to her bed, while ever the footfalls pounding, her heart pulsing, stretched naked. In the morning she stroked his impassive face looking for life, where in that one glorious hour, stone had enfleshed its leering lust. ©Paul Vincent Cannon
parallax 
Very gothic
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I think I have ice in my blood tonight. Thank you VJ, much appreciated.
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Lol. Sure reads that way.
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This Gothic imagery is amazing… ❤
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Thank you so much 🙂
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I love the supernatural elements of this lusty poem. Very original!
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Many thanks Pat, so glad you liked this.
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My goodness this is incredibly breathtaking! 💝 Especially love; “stilling all but leaping imaginations of shadows, she, he, stole kisses in mocking laughter beneath the angry walls of judgement.” Thank you so much for writing to the prompt 😀
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I really enjoyed the prompt, so thank you very much Sanaa for offering it, and many thanks for sharing your response. 🙂
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The perfect statue and the mortal’s lust – a marvellous mythic piece Paul
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Thank you Peter, so glad it spoke like that.
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Oh, I love this… you really capture a dark story here.. sometimes you simply have to run before it’s too late.
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Yes indeed Bjorn, and, don’t look back, never split up.
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Very Gothic and very atmospheric!
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I’m really glad that came clearly, thank you so much Jane.
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🙂
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The gargoyles have exacted a very high price for that heated congress.
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Yes, one should never mock the seemingly inanimate, you never know 🙂
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It’s probably not a good idea to mock the animate either, even when it’s ever so tempting. 😉
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Too true Liz, and my is it so tempting.
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Chortle. 🙂
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🙂
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Chillingly Gothic and I like the repetition of ‘she, he’ at the start of the lines.
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I think I had ice in my veins, I was ready for the chill, thank you so much for engaging with this Ingrid.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Beware the footfalls.
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😂🤣🤣
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Gargoyles no doubt have stories to tell. I have to comment that the word “congress” and its varied definitions has always fascinated me …. and I sometimes think there’s a lot of congress in Congress. What think you?
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I smiled, I think exactly that, and, I think they’re congressed. 🙂 it is such a polite term, but the poem didn’t lean to either technical or colloquial terms, lol.
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Very eerie.
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Beware the gargoyles.
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😱
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🙂
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I really enjoyed this poem, Paul. I have a soft spot for gargoyles – there are two small ones in our cottage. Your setting is darkly Gothic, and I love the lines:
‘death’s sting rang off the stone in
heavy mortal silence, stilling all but
leaping imaginations of shadows’.
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Hey, meets my thoughts too. 😉 Sometimes we have to endure the darkness, for better loving the light. Michael
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Just so, a great comment Michael.
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Thank you Paul! 😉
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Most welcome Michael.
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Thank you very much, Paul! Enjoy your weekend! Michael
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Yes, have a great one Michael.
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Thank you, Paul! 🙂
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🙂
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the cost of lust …
you set the scene so dark
now I need a walk in the park!
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And, awaiting a surprise, don’t take care, live in the moment and take the dare.
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lol made me choke with laughter!
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Lol, we need a laugh 🙂
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I Love Gargoyles💙and This was a Perfect Poem and very much Gothic but written with a Classic Touch🤓☺
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Thank you for sharing that, yes, I tried for an authentic feel, and your comment is encouraging.
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I’m delighted☺Thanks Mr Paul🤓
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Pleasure 🙂
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Your poetry is beautiful and so often very profound.
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Very interesting poetry! Enjoyed reading every word and line.
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Many thanks Leif.
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This is so well crafted it could be the beginning of a book or short story – it totally drew me in
>
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Ah, a book eh? Well, perhaps 🙂
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Love it – thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thank you so much 🙂
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Thank you
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