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“ Vertical Imbroglio ”
– a shadow state –
I reach ahead
Haltingly so,
As I prepare
To step alas,
Beyond length
It takes to pass,
A prior stride
Repairs behind,
In effort guide
A next in kind,
Repeats to bide,
Thus so I sense
May tend to slide,
As if said motion
Would so impair,
To suffer notions
Of a lost equilibrium…
While tho awake,
I envisage myself
Inhabiting a place,
Of vertical imbroglio
As a shadow state,
Steps be but echoes
In an outer mind
Suggesting guise,
We’re to accept
Its bogus disguise,
Tho manipulated
By what’s left alive,
And still humanlike
Despite emotive pries…
Hence be sagacious
Attempt at realism,
Imbroglio’s shadow
State imaging façade,
Said of bemused reality,
The while life’s demise
Be destined irrevocably,
Tho holds mans laudable prize!
© Jean-Jacques Fournier 1st written in Grasse, France 2005 Paintings - by René Magritte ... Audio’s music - exerpt of Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla ...
Poetry on a canapé 
“I reach ahead
Haltingly so,
As I prepare
To step alas”
You always have the right words to give dynamics to your message. Brilliant use of “imbroglio”. You have described our current reality of uncertainty. On Saturday, Vancouver has entered a new lockdown period based on our increase in Covid19. We live in very interesting times, where every day seems to open a new path. Grateful to have you as a kindred spirit along the pathway.
I’m sorry to hear that Vancouver is also facing an increase in Covid19, Rebecca. I hope the lockdown halts the spread.
One day at a time, Liz! We live in very interesting times. We really appreciate Dr. Bonnie Henry, who was appointed as Provincial Health Officer for the Province of BC in 2018. She was involved in SARS several years ago so is very experienced. Her mantra is: be kind, be calm, be safe. Her reports always bring a sense of calm.
I echo your sentiment, Liz. Now all we need, one day at a time, is for we lowly regarded to they highly regarded mortals, find to stop wasting life by not following the council of Dr. Henry and the like, aa well as masking, hand-washing and learning what 2 metres or 6 feet distance actually means. And abide by it, because I too want to live my full measure of life, thus so not by the choice or the lack of standards of the ignorant or selfish blasé individuals, who care not for their fellow beings.
Jean-Jacques
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I couldn’t agree with you more about the needless loss of life due to the selfishness of others.
Thank you, Rebecca. Odd how history continues to repeat itself, little by little up to and including the explosions of similar catastrophes such as our present pandemic. We too in The Eastern Townships, who’s area had to date been the least affected of the whole province of Québec will as of this coming Thursday, be a red zone, and like Vancouver be locked down.
Thus so my Vertical Imbroglio reflection of which I first wrote in 2005, resurfaced quite indecently less than a week ago thinking that with some rewrite and fine tuning it would be be a good lead poem and even possibly the title or part of, for my upcoming new book. While I was finishing off this poem it also dawned on me that its inference of confusion, complication and embarrassment all to the extreme, just happens to be what we humans are presently living again. Thanks again for your kind words, my good friend …
Your honest words are gentle to my eyes in these troubled times. We have relief mixed with disease and turmoil down here. Ty for this poem.
Down there, that I once knew so well, and for the time being the whole of our mistreated world. This poem is meant to remind us that because and in spite of us, of the self-serving variety us that is, confusion reigns just as heavily as greed, as it always has, and sadly always will. But we must take comfort where we can, thus in the efforts of real humans, despite there small numbers. Knowing that they are there, allows hope and by extension love and life to survive.
Peace my dear friend, Paulette !
“Imbroglio” is a word I don’t often see. It defintely fits this moment in time. I’m sorry to hear that The Eastern Townships are seeing Covid’s spread as well. This is just awful.
Thank you Liz. Yes as you say, imbroglio, fits the moment, as it did too 15 years ago in 2005, when I first wrote on the like subject meaning, as in extremely confused and complicated etc. Thus very obviously, for people said humans, to this very day and age, ever more so informed, seem no more intelligent for they remain nonchalantly blasé about protecting themselves and their fellow-begins against covid-19. If the opposite were true, we might well have been at the end of this crisis, rather than facing this present 2nd and now 3rd horrendous wave at this very moment ! It’s as though they ignore the recommended protections out of spite, to profess their freedom of personal choice, to the death, their own and their innocent said fellow-beings !