The illustration
is nothing to you without the application.
 |
| The Behemoth and The Leviathon William Blake |
The Almighty lords it over Job, pointing –
in Blake’s illustration – to his creatures.
Bear-like, ponderously cowed, the behemoth
slavers piteously, musculature carved in stone
or maybe ice.
There is an immobility to god’s demon
which strikes you as less a threat of war
and more an image of a beaten dog –
and writhing beneath in symbolic fury
the leviathan, spitting lava and seething
impotently from his watery wave, has a fiery eye
but limbless,
seems doomed to roiling magnificently –
You do not doubt the immediate effect
but rather the literal application
for land and sea, one nothing without the other,
both plundered beyond even an aged god’s redemption.
Day 10 ~ CREATURES
Anmol is our host in The Imaginary Garden today, with his prompt idea: Open a Book. The sentence I found from an anthology of modern poets, specifically my muse poet of the week, is the one quoted above by Marianne Moore.
I am also revisiting Blake's works this week, so my second source of inspiration is his Illustrations of the Book of Job.
Such an exquisite Ekphrasis, Kerry!❤️ I especially love how you describe the creatures as "carved in stone or maybe ice."❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sanaa. It was a very interesting illustration to describe.
DeleteA stunning soul once told me something that reminds me of the last two lines of your poem. She said, "You can only be an island, if you have an ocean keeping you afloat". All right, so it was me who said it to myself in front of the mirror. Still, it remind me of what your poem tells me about relationships and balance and such.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote (and the source). Thanks, Magaly.
DeleteThis bit spoke to me with its alternative perspective of the figures and what it entails: "and more an image of a beaten dog –/and writhing beneath in symbolic fury/the leviathan". I love this poem, for its many elements and its overall tone.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anmol. I tried to see the creatures from a more modern perspective than the one intended. I am glad you liked the viewpoint.
Delete"There is an immobility to god’s demon
ReplyDeletewhich strikes you as less a threat of war
and more an image of a beaten dog"
That really is a striking description. I feel at times I am too weary, the world is too weary to seek balance. We roam our mistakes with an awful acceptance our self created horror is simply our normal.
I get where you are coming from, Susie. i feel quite sorry for these beasts.
DeleteI love Blake and I love your musings on the image.
ReplyDeleteI really loved this!!
ReplyDeleteYou've taken both the Moore quote and the Blake image and forged something new. Wish I could disagree more with the sad resignation of your conclusion.
ReplyDeleteAs do I. Thanks, Rosemary.
DeleteQuite an impressive illustration to work from. Love the combining of poets.
ReplyDeletegreat final couplet ~
ReplyDeleteI’ve always been more partial to Blake’s art than his poetry and it has certainly inspired you, Kerry. I love your ekphrastic poem and especially appreciate the lines:
ReplyDelete‘There is an immobility to god’s demon
which strikes you as less a threat of war
and more an image of a beaten dog’.
Quite the work of art - either they are slowly dying or slowly coming to life - they don't look ferocious (yet) but awkward. The "aged god" reference is stunning as I have never thought of God as being powerless... something to think about.
ReplyDelete