The Imago poems

The following are a series of wee poems I wrote in waaaay back in the early 80's. I look back on these and am struck by my strong tendency toward descriptive writing even back then.

I have no idea why I called these "Imago". I suspect it was something to do with the whole "metamorphosis" process. I do however, remember having a fascination for symmetry in language. I liked coaxing words to match and reflect each other through pattern and repetition. You can see that very strongly here.

Of course, I'm not saying these are good by any stretch of the imagination. I was all of 19 years old when I wrote them. It's just interesting to see what my writing was about back then as opposed to now. :)

Imago I

Antennae in the half-light
meticulously grasping for
forgotten auras, and
occasionally having
weird encounters with
'other things', basking,
as only 'other things' do
in the half-light.

Imago II

Blue on the red horizon
clinging like a vine
to the 'big-top' of the
universe, but occasionally
being murdered by the
dawning of the cumulus
on the red horizon.

Imago III

Needle in the candle-light
stabbing at an unknown
masterpiece, but occasionally
tangling the thread that is
the link to the masterpiece
in the candle-light.

Imago IV

Cacti in the topics
silently entangling their
greedy arms around
the forest flora
and being forever
bloated on the brackish moisture
that is the life-blood of all nature
in the tropics.

Imago V

Grasses of the swamp land
swaying silently to the music
of rippling wavelets, and occasionally
ensnaring a forgotten swamp creature
lurking 'tween the grasses
of the swamp land

Imago VI

Beings in darkness
softly whispering ghoulish
melodies, occasionally playing
with the conscience of a lone being
in the darkness.

© M. Pitman 2006