Bifurcation

Published on by Laura Bloomsbury 
I will not beg to differ
- for this kind of love is 
not a choice 
 or feast of some Abigail 
 prudent as a dove-grey queen

Regaled in that red dress
nagging rag to a rampant bull 
as a priori consent
to tread  the arena
like a minotaur, full tilt

In finality of twilight
the pact solidified
 versions of connubial 
underpinning conquest
and so the chalice broke 

Then why not make an offer
your heart on a plate
not a severed head
predicating ways out of the web
hesitant on the threshold

Right across the room, I'd waved
that first gesture misconstrued
as permit for the rabbit hole
dusted, dazed, to slip
without regard for tenderness

Beneath tenebrous trees, you understood
in whispers, tendering
plans to count up many moons
leaving fate to fathom in the stars
with tribute paid to Venus

For my MTB prompt: Cleaving to Antonyms in Contrapuntal Lines we are choosing one of the given paired opposites as prompt words for two poems that can be read individually as well as interwoven as one larger composition, either in Contrapuntal dialogue, Cleaved together or reversed as Palindrome. I have chosen Beg/Offer and cleaved the poem(s) across the lines.

28 thoughts on “Bifurcation”

  1. What a great word bifurcation is, as is tenebrous! I love the contrasts I the lines:
    ‘Regaled in that red dress
    nagging rag to a rampant bull ‘
    and
    ‘your heart on a plate
    not a severed head’
    Hooray for cleaving!

    1. hooray indeed once the struggle to write poetry that can be read both down and across -the opposite pairings helped give the poems dialogue

  7. I read each poem on my tablet, but had to visit the desktop to see it as a cleave and experience both at once–wordpress does not format well on a tablet for some reason. I especially like the second set with the red dress and bull imagery. Red is such a potent color. (K)

    1. Very belated thanks (comment waiting approval) for stopping by to read and leaving such encouraging words Paul – good to see you back at dVerse if only fleetingly

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