Cocktails with Morpheus

I was never fond of sleep;
the blackness is perfect, a sort of visual treat
that offers simple sweetness of existing,
must we complicate it with want,
with tangerine promises of the sun?
No, I’d rather live in the moment,
the sky, is nothing short of a song, for the eyes.

We order dirty martinis;
pulling back slightly on the dry vermouth,
it’s after dark and the bar is alive
with blue grass rock cuts,
which inspires me to write a sonnet or two.
Oh, how he longs for delicate scent,
for hours that cajole me to sleep.
I smile and hold his gaze,
careful not to break eye contact,
the last thing I need, is for him to convince
me of dreams far-fetched—
his eyes, dark and stormy, speak
of soft aura on hills, where dusk attempts
to fold away the day
and where streetlights defy the night.
I dare not give in to seduction.

Meet me there, he offers,
between the meadow and the road.
I give you a choice,
all or nothing; take your pick,
you may decline, if you deem it fit to do so,
the day awaits, shining through,
observe its golden threads,      
and you will see, just how,
the color of night pales in comparison.
It’s a soul contract written in blood and signed
amidst riotousness of roses.

I am a Poet born in times of frost;
there is wonder to be found in humble rain
and icy puddles,
more so, when breath rises and eddies
under the cherry moon,
the night and its language are of a different faith,
I believe it must be difficult
for someone of your stature to understand.
Silence follows,   
I wait patiently for him to reply
and glance across the bar,
the postman, the lonely lady and showgirls
wait with bated breath,
it feels like a scene from battlefield earth.

With cocktail, empty, he seems uncertain,
almost pitiful,
I can see his true form, that of a winged demon,
only, now he is reduced to ashes
on the wooden floor
upon
dismissal of indecent proposal.
A fresh tear of gratitude leaves its mark
on my cheek,
as the night deepens with serenity of birdsong,
I am swept away.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credits: Pinterest 

Lillian is our lovely hostess at dVerse where she invites us to include movie
titles in the body of our poems. Come join us! 💘

Word list: Shining through, The lonely lady, Under the cherry moon, Cocktail,
Color of Night,
Showgirls, The Postman, Battlefield Earth, Indecent Proposal, Swept away 🍹

Posted for Poetics: A Razzie or two @dVerse Poets Pub

 

26 thoughts on “Cocktails with Morpheus

  1. lillian says:

    I LOVE the bar scene you’ve painted here….GREAT title and concept. “tangerine promises of the sun?” and these words are just delicious! 🙂 I do love a dirty martini 🙂

    1. Sanaa says:

      Yayy! Thank you so much, Lillian 😀 so glad you enjoyed it! 💄❤️

      (and thank you for the glorious prompt) 🌹

  2. Wow Sanaa! Morpheus and cocktails – a heady combination. I love the description of sleep as ‘a sort of visual treat that offers simple sweetness of existing’ and those ‘tangerine promises of the sun’. I also like the description of the bar ‘alive with blue grass rock cuts’ and these sensual lines:
    ‘his eyes, dark and stormy, speak
    of soft aura on hills, where dusk attempts
    to fold away the day
    and where streetlights defy the night.’

    1. Sanaa says:

      Aww gosh! Thank you so much, Kim 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  3. Sanaa – there is easily enough imagery in your poem for a short film – it is simply fantastic.

    <3
    David

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, David 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

  4. Gillena Cox says:

    “riotousness of roses.”
    Wow!!! Fantastic romantic Sanaa.

    Much💛love

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️

      Much love back 🥂

  5. Paula Light says:

    Super creative and fun to read!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Paula 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️

  6. Mish says:

    Wow, Sanaa, this is so enchanting and luring…as much as Morpheus himself! I love the way you shifted from the reflections in the first stanza to a mesmerizing story.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Mish 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

  7. I love the combination of cocktails and Morpheus and all the sensory details. “Tangerine promises of the sun” is such a beautiful line–it could be a title. As David mentioned, this could be a short movie–such vivid descriptions and narrative. 💙

    1. Sanaa says:

      Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Merril 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

  8. rob kistner says:

    Wow Sanaa, this was so rich and consuming! A wonderful tour de force, embracing so many of the titles. Beautifully done my friend… 🙂✌🏼🕊❤️

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rob 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️

  9. paeansunplugged says:

    A sensorial delight, Sanaa! Gorgeous writing. ❤️❤️

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Punam 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️

  10. AJ says:

    Great scene depicted here <3

    1. Sanaa says:

      ❤️❤️❤️

  11. Linda Lee Lyberg says:

    No one does the promise of romance like you Sanaa. Beautiful!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Linda 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️

  12. Sunra Rainz says:

    So glad I got to read this poem, I absolutely love it! Such a potent atmosphere you’ve cooked up here with so many wonderful lines. My favourites:

    “must we complicate it with want,
    with tangerine promises of the sun?”

    “the sky, is nothing short of a song,”

    “his eyes, dark and stormy, speak
    of soft aura on hills, where dusk attempts
    to fold away the day
    and where streetlights defy the night.” – adore this whole section.

    “It’s a soul contract written in blood and signed
    amidst riotousness of roses.”

    “I am swept away.” – this final line is so fitting.

    Wonderful to hear you read it too <3

    1. Sanaa says:

      Awww gosh! Thank you so much, Sunra 😍 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️

  13. This is very beautifully written <3

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sylvia 😀 so glad the poem and its imagery appealed to you 💄❤️

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