“The Scream,” by Edvard Munch. [Public Domain] “This version, executed in 1910 in tempera on cardboard, was stolen from the Munch Museum in 2004, and recovered in 2006.” Wikipedia.
like a scream.
And whispers,
frantic tongues
beneath the whys
of language.
Scrabbling, urging tongues
you recall, feverish,
you want–
some other time—
a when
before this dream—
you can almost see
the blush of the before,
and you open your mouth
but there’s no sound
(scream, no scream)
only the cackling around you
and you wonder
(What if the nightmare
never ends?)
Today’s prompt for Day 13 of NaPoWriMo is to write a poem about something spooky. I briefly consulted the Oracle early this morning, and she gave me some words and tips for this poem. But I know this isn’t my real message. I’ll consult her again later.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Nightmarish. The tone is more uniformly dark than the Oracle’s usual message. She gave you tips but she wasn’t going to write the whole thing. Dark.
Yes, well they weren’t all her words, so I think she was just humoring me, as I don’t usually write something this dark. I’m sure her REAL message won’t be so scary. 🙂
There was something relentless about this poem that made me think, not the Oracle speaking, not entirely. I hope you post it soon. I’ll be going to bed in an hour and a half….
I’ll see if I can do a quick consult, but. . .you know she’s not always willing.
Try her and see.
Are you still up? I just posted it. It was very quick. I hope she wasn’t offended. 🙂
Still here. I’ll dash over.
Eek! You certainly nailed the spooky, Merril. Nice job! 🙂
Thanks, Jill! 🙂
And what if it’s not a dream?
Exactly!
Well I spent my childhood hooked on horror films (one wonders why I turned out so outwardly cheerful 🤪) so any tale of nightmarish terror is going to intrigue me and this certainly did. The oracle and you are going spooky and so early for Halloween. Scream, no scream! Scary stuff 👏👏🎃
Thank you! I like some horror films–not the blood and gore kind, but the psychological kind that terrify me. 🙂 I guess sometimes I like to see if I can write something a bit different. 🙂
I agree, the 90’s turned horror into a comedic bloodbath but those ones that make the skin stand on end without a single glimpse of blood or a severed head can be so exhilarating. The Strangers is my case in point with Liv Tyler, although the end is well… troubling! 🤭
I think you can turn your hand to any style and still fly 💃🏻
Aww–thank you!
You do spooky well, Merril!
Thank you, Dale!
😱
🙂
I read a reference to hands-on-ears SCREAM in Barbara Kingsolver’s novel Unsheltered today. Spooky, like your poem!
Thank you, Marian!
The sprayed blood reminds me of my powder room. But that was a mistake that has not yet been corrected. I hired a guy who was supposed to be good at faux painting to use gold, burgundy, and a hit of metallic gold. But it looks like a CSI scene with blood spatter all over the gold walls. NOT what I had told him to do.
Thank you–I think? That powder room though. Hahahaha. Maybe you could rent it out for a movie set. 🙂
LOL! It IS really something. I ought to blog about it, but then I would REALLY notice it and it would bug me. Right now I am fine without having to redo it too fast.
I’ll just pretend you never mentioned it, then. 😉
Definitely feverish and frantic. “the blush of the before”–and then? (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. Yes, what then?
I’ve never before taken in the silence of Munch’s Scream. Thank you.
Thank you, Derrick. That’s lovely that I helped you to notice it. 🙂
Blood, here sprayed
like a scream.
And whispers,
frantic tongues
beneath the whys
of language.
Powerful words! This is definitely an unsettling piece, and the fact that it takes place all in silence as per the painting, makes it even more so. I love it!
I consulted the Oracle for my Day 13. She made me work for that message, and even then I’m not sure it was entirely everything she meant!
https://shukuen.blogspot.com/2019/04/glopowrimo-day-13-oracle-casts-her-bones.html
Thanks so much! Yes, I think I scared myself a bit with this one. 🙂
The Oracle can be moody. I’ll read yours now.