Sense of Place challenge - poems

"FACE TO FACE"
(a suite of forms)

I SONNET

It is a strange long name for a place,
unvisited, unknown by you,
but if you could recall that shinning blue,
you would know why its name is "Face to Face".

Approaching on a boat as we still do,
our storage full of fish and calamari,
our memories still heavier to carry,
I keep on blowing on my didgeridoo.

I can produce one pitch, but that's enough,
with that I'll face you if you dare not hide,
and always be so ready to forget,

I hope that our sea-faring won’t be rough,
smoothly on top of waves we could ride,
face me, cause what you see is what you get.

II ACROSTIC

What do you want to know about me?
You do not seem to care even a fig,
See if you would be sport for just one night.
Is it assuring to confirm, I'm big?
What if I say I'm older than the sea,
You would not think this new romance was right?
Get your kicks now, let us start the gig.


III TERZA RIMA

"Face to Face" with what? You cannot see?
Before this game goes out of hand,
it’s obvious, my sunshine, with the sea!

"Face to Face" but you don’t understand?
Must I our common knowledge to confirm?
So obvious, my beauty, with the land!

Technically speaking, an old naval term,
that seamen use it to orientate,
and poets use it when they've got the germ.

You never knew how to endure and wait,
how to avoid this island's hidden shoal,
even as a sea wreck you're much too late.

"Face to Face" with what? With this sea bowl,
don’t have a doubt, you're facing yourself,
your past and present, and your heart and soul.

All of these attributes, my little elf,
charge if you must on me, you still have space,
but don’t pretend again that you are deaf,

like it or not, we're standing face to face…

IV VILLANELLE

You came with me once upon a time,
your wish expressed: "Take me to Paradise",
for consequences let's not give a dime.

I thought that what we did was not a crime,
that morning we had broken the last ice,
you came with me once upon a time.

So , now we wait to hear the clock chime,
meanwhile, look again into my eyes,
for consequences let's not give a dime.

It feels like then, no change in the clime,
you cannot claim this sea was full of lies,
you came with me once upon a time.

Let's try to break through this frozen rime,
re-live love's whispers and primeval cries,
for consequences let's not give a dime.

It was no hard, we are still in our prime,
the mist is gone, restoring our old ties,
you are with me like once upon a time,
for consequences let's not give a dime.


V LIMERICKS

So, this is "Face to Face",
you're up my sleeve an ace,
so good for home use,
combined with booze,
arsenic and old lace.

I'm up your sleeve an ace,
sounds like wild goose chase,
don’t make such a fuss,
I'm a pain in the ass,
cause I win every race.

Run my coyote then, run,
catching you gives me fun,
you're nailed on the floor,
still screaming for more,
when all is said and done.

VI (&VII) ARIA DA CAPO

Aria 1
(recitativo)
Memories are better than life,
or are they?
using a cotton wool knife,
kill the day!

Killing indeed a day,
easier said than done,
unless you find a way
to make this life undone.

You knew there was no way,
but you ignored that fact,
and where we had love-play,
unlovingly we're fucked.

I let it be, no reason,
this dream can't be undone,
this is another season
under another sun.

I'm burning in this place,
perhaps I'll need some crème,
I need another face
to pass into a new dream.

But I prefer your substance,
still present in this blue,
I'm writing with reluctance,
but see if it is true…

refrain
Try as you may,
there is no way
to kill that day,
but that's ok.

This radiant blue,
like then is true,
- are you with me?
- I am with you!
(FINE)

Aria 2

A million dreams,
a million screams,
this is our lezure,
take soul and shape,
this is your rape,
this is my pleasure.

How many times
you have been raped,
it's worth recalling,
when time chimes
we've both been shaped,
this is our calling.

If you admit,
just one single day
has been fulfilled,
then use your wit,
there is no way
it can be killed.

So, every day
can claim the same
in immortality,
then, let us say,
we took each day
in its normality.

A million rapes
sea caves, sea capes,
in all our shapes,
godless and free,
gods of the sea,
two human apes.

(aria 1 da capo al fine)​