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Protagonista – by Michael Chavis

April 4, 2010 by Nashville Skyline

Nashville Skyline - Protagonista by Michael Chavis_1270430604950

This is an archived text version of the author’s work.
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Protagonista

(Refraction II)

Hero or fraud, healer or charlatan,

witch doctor or snake oil liar,

my fire flickers where smoke follows

beauty, or so they say,

or so the soul baked such,

the which sifted through the much,

smiles an honest curve

brave enough to bend

perspective into dimension.

I’ve danced on rooftops with plywood sails-

danced over beams less the width of my sole,

plié and pirouette through sweet smoke dreams-

light of foot, yet heavy sweat brow

carving the plans of men

subject to Pythagorean tools

objectifying Euclidean proof

and when I finish, all of me,

the craft, the medium, the portals

(therewith lies the formulae

that connect beginning with

endless straightline infinite

through eternity) the act

unhanded to ignorant possession

from prophecy to substitute constituent,

proxy of sloth, sublet by whore to traitor.

The much (too much) have I borne for where?

A cloth and leather I chose to wear

for mystic languor, sycophant fare.

I wore the oil, sold the stage

a relic of geometric lineage-

mounted the ridge in testament

to test my God, tempt the wrath

or declare myself elegant

only to find the such silent,

to find the which mute, impotent.

As 22, just 39 and still don’t mind dying-

not now for renown as then,

but for teaching an honest bend

brings perspective to dimension.

Filed Under: Poetry, Spring 2010 ~ Storm

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