For the Sake of My Beloved

Between sighs of pleasure, I open
my eyes and see
this world has teeth.

I cannot feign surprise.
Only fools think beauty
doesn’t have roots in darkness.

(It was there I found you.)

Monsters and angels sing
in the same key, leaving the listener
to decode the lyrics of their songs.

You taught me to sing too,
with a voice I found
at the crest of delight.

(It was there I found myself.)

I can shut my senses to it all.
But the brush of your lips on my skin
is not something I want to pretend away.
And pretending it’s safe only makes me prey
for things with less innocent intentions.

The price of honey is the risk
of being stung. I didn’t forget.
That doesn’t mean I can’t
find my own stinger and teach
monsters to tremble instead. 

Song Choices: Marvelous Things by Eisley 

This poem was inspired by the prompt I created for Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads: Of Angels and Monsters. I asked the Toads to select from a list of seven quotes related to monsters and angels. I chose two of them.  “I’m the thing monsters have nightmares about.” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and “One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel.” from Doctor Who.

55 comments:

  1. Whistles!!❤️ This is absolutely kick ass, Rommy! Especially love; "The price of honey is the risk of being stung. I didn’t forget. That doesn’t mean I can’t find my own stinger and teach monsters to tremble instead." Beautifully executed!❤️


    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  2. OH! That last stanza is spectacular!

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  3. If my grin gets any bigger, my face might explode. I love the quiet tone of the poem, the sensuality of the imagery, and the spectacular (to borrow De's word) pronouncement the speaker makes at the very end.

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  4. Luv that slayer mode at the end verse, yup. Bring out your stinger!

    Thanks for a nice prompt and an awesome poem Rommy

    Much love...

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  5. School for lovers is infernal education, Delight and More scented with a monster's breath. Vampires and priests carry on much the same work.

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    1. I feel lie your response is the beginning of a poem - and one that I'd like very much to read.

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  6. Wonderful, Rommy, Buffy and the Doctor would be proud of you! The opening lines are killer and I agree, 'Monsters and angels sing / in the same key'.

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    1. I'm just amused I was able to get something like this from pop culture quotes. :D

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  7. From that brilliant opening line to the awesome conclusion... 5 star poetry.

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  8. Yes... teach those monster slayer girl. Too much at stake if not.

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  9. Brilliant, esp this insight "The price of honey is the risk
    of being stung."

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  10. this world has teeth....find my own stinger and teach

    monsters to tremble instead. If I were a wolf I'd howl at the sheer (moon) brilliance of this.

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    1. A wolf howl sounds like a good way to go.

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  11. It's all so great! The last stanza is EPIC!

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  12. Adversaries are more wary when they don't know your own strengths. This is not only a great poem but good advice as well.

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    1. I hadn't quite thought of it as advice, but now that you point it out - yes, that works! Now I'm even more pleased with the finished product.

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  13. I love the Buffy reference - it was such a clever show.. and I love this poem also - we can be both angel and monster quite happily

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  14. Only fools think beauty
    doesn’t have roots in darkness.... love that. so true.

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  15. aha...speaker's rather feisty towards the end as she should be...it's a delight to read...

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  16. "This world has teeth." Yes it does. Love that line. And I love finding oneself at the crest of delight. "The price of honey is the risk of being stung is such a great line.

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    1. LOL, sounds like you liked several lines, And I'm quite happy about that. :D

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  17. "Monsters and angels sing in the same key" What a profound bit of poetry. Great write!

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  18. ' the price of honey is the risk of being stung' I haven't read a line like this in a while! well written

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  19. Ha ha ha. This is GOOD. It's nice to see some teeth in a poem for once. I don't see nearly enough of them. I'd like to be bitten, actually. So clamp down, girl. Leave scars.

    Your line breaks are excellent. That opening line hooked me, and hard.

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    1. Woot! I'm thrilled to have earned a good in all caps.

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  20. This is fantastically rendered - so many wonderful little gems of insight to pick through and ~ musefully ~ roll around, for a bit. Especially loved 'The price of honey is the risk
    of being stung.' Wonderful writing!

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  21. Really like how your speaker grows teeth at the end of this piece,

    Elizabeth

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    1. The pacing wasn't intentional, but when I finished it I was pleased it was there.

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  22. The price of honey is the risk
    of being stung.

    Very wise words, Rommy!

    Hank

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  23. Brilliant. Enjoyed reading this poem :)

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  24. Ah! Such strength comes from experience and the journey towards that is enthralling. I like how your verse flows with a gritty pace.
    -HA

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