Idol Survivor: "In This Night"

[halfshellvenus]

In This Night
idol survivor | challenge 1 | ~100 words
Quest For Fire

*~*~*~*~*

Our suspended lives
(gray with the treadmill
sameness of days)
all seek the spark
that will revive us/
transport us/ redeem us/
even set our souls on fire.

We wait to ignite
(and burn or be devoured).

But if that spark should come,
would we then seize it?
Would we breathe life
through its fiery heart,
or let it dwindle
from indifference?

Are we the yin
or the yang?
The death
or the dream?

The volcano
or the sacrificial maiden?

In the dark, we search
for light (for hope)
and we wonder
if this night
will ever end.


--/--

If you enjoyed this poem, you can vote for it along with many other fine entries here.

Comments

[adoptedwriter]

Yeah. Just like Corona Times.

[megatronix]

So relatable. It's weird times, isn't it? I like the questions - like well if the opportunity comes, will we take it? I like the imagery of breathing life into a fiery heart too. I always think that looks really cool when people build fires and blow on them to get them going. Nice work.

[eeyore_grrl]

This line is great, "Are we the yin
or the yang?
The death
or the dream?"

i love the dichotomy of death and dream.

[bsgsix]

Not only is this quality work, but it's also highly relevant and relatable. I *felt* this. "The treadmill sameness of days" is one of the best sentences I have ever read, to be honest. I feel that grey feeling, and that imagery is spot-on.

But in the end, I really like that, in the end, you mention what we're still searching for, despite the never-ending night. It's important to mention that, especially when that is so hard right now.

AMAZING. <3

[gunwithoutmusic]

This was sooo good; I feel like it hits the prompt perfectly, but also kind of sums up the theme that many of us hit on this week. It's good to feel like you're not entirely alone in things. I love the wondering of whether we'll grab the spark or let it pass us by, because it is so easy to just let things slip away, it is so easy to fall victim to the grey... you have to grab it, you have to make the effort, and that's so hard.

[bleodswean]

Great visuals, K, and apt analogies! I liked this! It's inspirational!

[n3m3sis43]

I couldn't tell if this was specifically about Pandemic Life or about, um... really just everything these days. Either way, it was well-written. Nice work! <3

[tsuki_no_bara]

this is very adventures in quarantine, but so much more poetic.

[uselesstinrelic]

My favorite line was

"The volcano
or the sacrificial maiden?"

I'm not sure if you had a preference that we infer from your piece, but I always feel like humans are the volcano :<

There really is such a malaise now. I'm sure you will be able to look back at this piece one day and remember acutely how it felt.

[murielle]

And sometimes I allow the terrible thought in that it never will, but just for an instant.

This is terrific, K. It really hits home. And it's beautifully written. Brava!

[flipflop_diva]

Ahhh, poetry!

I feel this one so much though. Just waiting for this to be over and wondering if it will be. I think this sums up perfectly what a lot of people are going through these days. It does for me at least!

[alycewilson]

I can't remember if I've ever seen you submit a poem before, but I like it! The idea of gray, suspended lives where you can't tell what's what is such a perfect metaphor for what so many of us are experiencing.