Saturday, February 18, 2006

Alterity

(Just diddling around, playing, I was, for some reason amused by the fact that alterity is also spelled as altarity ;)

A Celebration of Alterity
by Michael Benton

Alterity
Slippery word
whose meaning is
not decipherable
Never stated clearly
nor fixed firmly
The nerve of the word
Altarity

It may be approached,
though, if one dares,
through networks
of associations
Altar, Alter
Alternative, Alternation

I yearn to sacrifice
myself upon the
altar of her sexuality.
Yet, I hold back
fearing that the pleasure
may somehow alter me.

Her scent and taste
seizes the roots of my soul
What alternative is there?
I vacillate betwixt pleasure and pain
Ceaselessly resonating between
the yawning gaps of reason

Even the meaning of altarity
pecipitates a crisis
Symbol of difference
Naming of the OTHER
Its power mocks
conformity’s lack

Resist the conservative urge
to embrace sameness
Explore those who differ
Open up closed circuits
Rise up to celebrate
the eros of alterity

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love this. really.

i think i'm going to post it.

Anonymous said...

afterthought...

would u mind?

Michael said...

Thanks Ricia,

I'm glad you like it, I'm self-conscious about any attempt to write poetry because I have no training ;)

You can post it,

Anonymous said...

Even those with training are. It is a strange thing, but even creative writers are careful about calling themselves "Poets" - it leaves one open to academic criticism and narrows the scope within one's own expression through poetry, can be evaluated.

I don't think it should be this way, but it lingers beneath every individual's fear of referencing their poetry (it seems).

I suppose that is why I thought it better to ask... : )

oh, yes, and thanx...