the fire rises
into the void
smothered—
m
m
o ward and w
l p i
dering u s
p
i
n
g
around
like
smoke.
the flame produces
absolutely no light
in the abscess that is
the dark night of the
whispering wraith
within the towering,
colossal gray cathedral.
whilesome wights wisp
i
n
g
aw a y
any
good
memories.
skeletal christ
like a mass
noisrevni
imp-
los-
ion
sucking
like
a
phallic
d
r
e
a
m
scape of scum
at the bottom of the drum—
Yo-ho-ho, my level ain’t that plum—
that matter grayed out,
a fact—no doubt
the fire that
produced
no light
has
b
e
c
o
m
e
a
hope-
less
wight.
eternal
night.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
First published on tristanrobertlange.com, December 3, 2025.
Tittu
-
Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: December 3rd, 2025 10:27
- Comment from author about the poem: I’m now published in an anthology featuring authors from across the Poconos, PA. All proceeds benefit the Pocono Liars Club — a collective of authors and editors dedicated to supporting and mentoring local writers. Available in paperback and Kindle, please consider purchasing one and supporting a great cause. https://a.co/d/58uxM69
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 9
- Users favorite of this poem: Friendship, Paul Bell
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Comments5
Your poem explores existential themes of despair, loss, and the haunting nature of memory. The central idea revolves around the struggle against darkness and hopelessness, represented by the imagery of fire that produces no light.
My friend, truly…you stepped into the poem’s cold center and named exactly what’s circling there. The fire that refuses to illumine, the memories that wisp away, that hollowed self becoming the wight. I appreciate your read…you saw straight into it. 🕯️🖤👁️🗨️🙏
Good write T. Is that a glugger or Santa sneaked in there with that Yo-ho-ho line?! Abscess or apse in that church?
My own dark poems starts off: 'From the depths of the darkness, we hear a glug, glug, bit it's nothing mysterious to us; we knows who it is'.
Well, I thought it was Santa, but I did notice a bit of green on his beard. I thought he was nursing the ol' NyQuil bottle again, but come to think of it...it was a fuller glug! LOL!
Oh no, he's in disguise now at this season. Some fat beardy bloke - it's him with extra padding. lol.
I like the playful manner that you set up the format for this poem, the ups and downs and swirling around of the letters emphasized the meaning in the poem. It has an existential nature to it and begs for self interpretation. It ends on a somewhat dark note. Nicely done, Tristan.
Soren, thank you, my friend…you always read the structure with such care. The swirl and drop of the letters were part of the whole descent, and I’m glad that came through. Appreciate you sitting with the darkness here. 🕯️🖤👁️🗨️🙏
You are most welcome Tristan. As for the darkness I have been in it all my life.
Wonderful word sculpture, Tristan... No worries, but I leave others to interpret.
Thanks.
PS: I'm very intrigued by labyrinths - 'think you could do one of those one day? (seriously...)
Dave, truly…thanks for meeting the poem as a piece of shape and shadow. And that labyrinth invitation? You may have just planted a future experiment, but my mind is currently hurting just wrapping (pun intended) around it. But that has yet to stop me...so we'll see! LOL! 🕯️🖤👁️🗨️🙏
I'd take your time and make it your masterpiece... You'd be the man if anyone was !
PS: nothing less than Chartres will do...!! 😜😇LOL.
Dave, haha…you don’t set the bar low, do you? Chartres itself. Tell you what…maybe I’ll write the poem, sing some Taizé-esque chants, and walk the labyrinth all at once. 🤣
Such a multi talented fellow so you are, Tristan.
I still think the labyrinth is an idea worth considering, even if Chartres is a teensy bit over the top....
Yes. I am certainly taking you seriously, my friend. Though Chartres...yeah! LOL! If ANYONE pulled that off...worship MIGHT (keyword there) be due! LOL!
Love the format.
There's an end, and an absolute end, where even the ghosts can't wait to get the hell out.
This is a state you never want to find yourself in, the road to recovery is a tough one.
Indeed...and you've nailed the heart of this poem, my friend! Thank you! 🕯️🖤👁️🗨️🙏
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