Seeing in the dark

Posted on by In mind and out

Draw the curtains
on your shadow
full and dense
give me.
black out.
blinds
and velvet shades –
your greyest greys
turn off the lights
in the middle of the day
give me.
darkness.
that I can see
and touch
with charcoal gloves
I draw my name
But I see
the outlines of your soul
– or love
when I look again

…

inspired by ‘Between the Shadow and the Soul’ by Pablo Neruda
“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.”

…

Artwork from Galerie Italienne

81 thoughts on “Seeing in the dark”

  1. Perhaps, in the penumbra, that instance and fine line of a shadow, between darkness and light, this soul can be seen.

    This beautiful mystery of a poem is magical. It shows us the promise of seeing something special where nothing can be seen.

    Needing darkness to get a flash of this silhouette. You made me see a flicker of light, a slight ray of sunshine peeking around an eclipse.

    Beautiful Rachel. I love this in the darkness and in the light. ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Drew, thank you, always. I’m so fascinated with the line between dark and light, the shadow, the contrast, and all that it symbolizes. It’s there that so much can be seen. Darkness can be illuminating too. I am so entranced by that Neruda poem.

      I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend AT HOME. You’re like Dorothy, ‘there’s no place like home’.
      ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Yes, I am feeling very much like Dorothy.
        Just so you know, I read and commented on this post straight from my blog on my computer. When I clicked on the title to go to your page, it said the blog was private.

        Don’t know if WordPress is having issues again. I posted an updated version of my The Man Behind The Blog and I am getting a feeling wordpress is having issues.

        I am good. Busy with so many errands and preparation for the two or three week rest period that is coming. I need to have everything ready.

        Hope you are well my friend. xo

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh… I didn’t see that post in my notifications? So maybe WP is having issues. I’ll have to go and hunt it down.

        A million things to do for you I’m sure. I’ll refrain from the million questions… for now. Take care, enjoy everything you have missed. Xo

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you for saying that – it is exactly what I wanted to try and convey. And only in darkness sometimes do we not need to hide. Darkness is so often associated with evil or something ‘bad’, but it can symbolise so many other things. Nothing is black and white.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. I love this! A very musical creativity to it, its haunting, and a phantom that flees moments to hide behind the eyes, occurs in our imagination, in the dark, and sparkles darkly, in secret.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  7. On the cusp between light and darkness, this mysterious dark verse glows brightly. The richness of darkness so beautifully wrought bathing it in the light of your imagery.
    Pure gorgeousness, Rachel. ❤️❤️

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. A little bit of light in the dark can be a beautiful thing right? Reading the comments (including yours), makes me want to rewrite the poem to include these gorgeous images. Thank you, my darling friend ❤️❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Such a beautiful piece dearest Rachel❤❤ Darkness has a unique shine in it, I feel. You have to search for it, and it comes to you. And sometimes maybe, you have to be surrounded by dark, to feel the scenery.
    Loved the poem! It had dark light of it’s own.🌹

    xoxoxo

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Ishita, you truly read to the very core of a poem. I think there is dark within light and light within dark. I’m going to quote you “sometimes maybe, you have to be surrounded by dark, to feel the scenery.” That is beautiful, so poetic, you should use that! Thank you, lovely friend ❤️❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. From the image accompanying the poem, to the mood of the poem – sensual, romantic, almost sinfully pleasing… I loved everything about it. Strangely, it seems one of the most relatable poems I’ve ever read. The poem feels like smoke and binds the reader like a spell… ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. I am inwardly jumping for joy that you find this relatable, it felt like a slightly obscure poem and I worried it needed more in order to make it relatable. I was thinking a little of a lot of things, the Jungian shadow, the unconscious, the parts of ourselves we often try to hide, the process of allowing others to see us… Sinfully pleasing and smokily bonding…. thank you so much ❤️

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      Reply

  12. Wow! Wow wow wow. Love!

    It’s this “give me. / blackout.” which is just so perfect.

    And then the ending…

    “But I see
    the outlines of your soul
    – or love
    when I look again”

    These are lines to hope by.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  15. Move over Neruda! I loved every bit of this beautiful work, Rachel! The ending was perfection.
    My other favorites:

    “give me.
black out.
blinds…”
    
“that I can see
and touch
with charcoal gloves”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Miriam, I think sometimes the dark places within hold so much. They can illuminate so much, they can hold our secrets and our shame, our yearnings… I really am a believer in shades of grey – lol and not the books/movie – I think that so little in life is either black or white, light or dark. I’m so happy you liked it, means so much, thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Charlie, I absolutely love how you have described this – I agree, the things we cannot see can be beautiful and the “magic or a depth of us in finding our soul and turning on the light that is within us”. Could not have said it better. Thank you for your kind words and for being such a good friend on here 💜

      Liked by 1 person

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  19. Absolutely surreal! A dream sequence…I don’t know the Pablo Neruda poem…which you have so artistically created, psychologically crafted and rendered so precise…loved it Rachel, beautiful thoughts with the perfect words. Hoping you’ve a lovely Tuesday and all the best,
    Francisco

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. Dear Rachel, wow you are just so incredibly talented!!
    Your poems read like waves, sometimes gentle caressing the soul,
    at times creating a just very powerful ocean-imagery, emotional imagery…
    Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your talent. Big hugs! xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Darling friend. Every time I read a single word you write, I feel like I am immediately lighter and happier – I know it’s the internet but you have some kind of aura about you. Thank you for your kind words, and big hugs back to you. I hope you are well xoxo

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Dear Rachel, aww that is such an incredibly sweet thing to say! Thank you so much, you brought a big big smile to my face 🙂 I am ok, lots going on the last months…appreciate your kindness!! Hope you are well or ok, too. Big hugs lovely friend!! xoxo

        Liked by 1 person

  24. “turn off the lights
    in the middle of the day
    give me.
    darkness.”

    Rachel I can’t even read further. I… WOW. This is the work of a genius. I am not kidding. Forget for a moment about Pablo Neruda. Your poem grabs one’s soul; invades it; speaks to it; occupies it forever. Watt is right. The beauty of this piece is haunting. Haunting! You are unbelievable. You almost made my heart stop.

    My fabulous Rachel, I could ask a thousand things: How are you? How do you feel? How is the weather? How is your car? I can send you boats of flowers and love. In fact I do. I am loading them now. Yet everything I’ll do or I’ll ask will forever stay in the shadows of your magnificent words.

    “that I can see
    and touch
    with charcoal gloves
    I draw my name
    But I see
    the outlines of your soul
    – or love
    when I look again”

    WOW. Don’t wake me up. Let me live inside the world of your words.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Gabriela, I really do not feel I deserve this reaction from you, you are the sweetest and kindest and most generous soul. Thank you, my fabulous friend, it’s me that would like to live in the world of your words, that beautiful, immersive place, full of colour and passion and beauty and music and the breeze of a Mediterranean Sea.

      Thank you for what you say, I’m so grateful.

      I got the boats. I DROVE to greet them (my car is fixed). Did yours? And how are you? I’m sorry I’ve been a little absent. I’ve missed you. I’m sending you lots of love in time for the weekend.
      ❤️💕🧡💛💕💜 xoxox

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. My dearest Rachel, you deserve every word and more. The poem is a masterpiece. It’s epic. It will live in my soul forever.
        “it’s me that would like to live in the world of your words,” Oh, you are so kind Rachel. Thank you so much.
        I am glad you got the boats and that your car is fixed. Mine is fixed too. It was an entire production when I picked it up – gloves, masks, disinfectant spray and wipes- anyway it’s home.
        “And how are you? ” I am sad. I don’t know why I can’t get rid of this sadness. Anyway, I’ll be ok. I’ve missed you too. How are you sweetheart?
        I got the love for the weekend. Sending you more love for the rest of the weekend.
        xoxoxo

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Sweetheart, I am sorry you’re sad…. sometimes i feels like sadness wraps us in its melancholy arms and there‘a a familiarity and bittersweet quality to being there that makes it so hard to break free. Maybe sadness personified would dress us in a mask and gloves, and keep us away from others… maybe that’s partly why it’s so hard to shake when that is our literal situation. It must be very difficult having missed out on your student’s graduation.
        I’m sending you some macaroons… lime, scented with a summer breeze, and flowers on the table.
        Lots of love across the ocean …. xoxox

        Like

  28. Loved this Rachel! I’m thinking you out did the Master here!! Bellissimo, My Dear, Bellissimo!
    Really loved these lines:
    I draw my name
    But I see
    the outlines of your soul
    – or love
    when I look again

    I’m with you on liking the darkness and shadows! Sometimes it’s easier to see clearly with the mind’s eye in the darkness than we can in the light! I find I really love writing in the dark, just writing a line in my head and then adding to it until I get about eight and then writing them down and then going back to darkness and writing the rest. I also love the way a true friend will sit with you in the darkness in life and wait with you until the light comes!! Also love the space between the lines in poetry where the shadows hide so much that is felt and yet unspoken!! Mmmm! Thanks so much for sharing this great post!!
    Chuck
    xoxo
    😘💕🌹🌹

    Like

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Published by In mind and out

I write from the corner of the world and from the corners of my mind. I'm Rachel, it was in my mind, and now it's out.