Unknown

Eyes in the night remain stickered,
Unremoved and mortis rigored,
Upon the candle flame flickered -
Lacquer liquored, wan night of black;
And as that candle flame flickered,
Sensations up our spine shivered
While inside our mind, it whispered,
Whimpered voice in the night of black.
Beyond our lips escaped, "Unknown."

On our floor we heard scampering,
Floorboards creaking, chains rattling;
Heart race, blind mind unraveling -
Salivating mouth - night of black.
Candle flame stobe silhouetted
Dragonsblood while coquetted
Maidens unveiled trills soubretted;
Unrepentant, spent night of black.
We heard the voice inquire, "Unknown?"

Across the floor footsteps pounded,
Through the room footsteps resounded;
It seemed like we were surrounded -
Dumbfounded, clouded night of black.
Cowering, eyes in crystals searched;
Chains still rattled as footsteps lurched,
Drops of sweat on our nose tips perched,
Those drops besmirched the night of black.
The derisive voice cursed, "Unknown."

Then from nowhere lunged the monster:
Wild-eyed, hairy, hungry killer;
Icy blade over throats slithered;
Vain-grasping monster - night of black.
We plead for mercy from our guest,
But unfathomed rage manifest -
We took the knife, thrust in his chest:
Unconfessed, incensed night of black.
As we collapsed, we gasped, "Unknown."
Obsessively grasped, night of black.
Exhale. We hear, "Now it is known!"

Black in this poem is a symbol for oil. The "night of black" is a symbol for the tyranny oil holds over our contemporary civilization. By that, I mean: corporate greed, wars to procure its supply, climate change influenced by oil's use, and the global economy seeking to build wealth which not only poisons our waters and air, but also strips the planet of its resources for our monetary gain and robbing future generations the necessary resources to sustain culture and civilization far into the future. These should provide clues to the meaning of the poem.

Obviously, I'm paying homage to Edgar Allan Poe.

This is an edited version of the poem which was originally published by Blood Moon Rising Magazine in their March of 2008 issue. A link to the archived publication has been placed on the right column ("Unknown" and "Wanderings" on Blood Moon Rising Magazine).