Stream
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, dark, ecstatic, flash fiction, love, mystery, photo, prose, science fiction, stream of consciousness, tragedy, wonder
…I wrote this free verse poem in a single-draft, stream of consciousness, surrealistic spirit, with minimum edits, inspired by the ‘We Write Poetry’ prompt #11 — hence the title.
I then re-imagined it from a steganograhic perspective, and added the flash fiction prologue, so as to also offer it in response to the July 12th prompt at ‘Big Tent Poetry’…
It is said that long ago a civilization existed which embraced at its cultural core the unusual surrealistic tale that follows here. It was passed down from generation to generation, and over the years, a secret sect grew around it.
Claiming to know the “sacred” meaning of the words, the cult leveraged this “knowledge” into a coup to seize control of their planet. They commandeered the wealth of their world, and exerted their power through fear and intimidation.
So as to maintain their rule, they created a code and two keys related to the tale, using the deciphered verse as a secret greeting, to keep their ranks closed.
I have discovered the code and the keys. This Sunday, July 18th, I will publish in this post, the code string, and challenge you to unravel the keys, and solve the secret greeting.
Here is the surrealistic tale, entitled “Stream”, including a graphic image of the sect’s sacred symbol.
•
do not hide
from the great orb
of unquestioning fate
that spins in the spaces
of destiny’s light and dark
days of falter and fear
nothing approaching
that moves
unsteady on legs
of unquenchable doubt
what your mind must
conceal from the spirit
of joy and forgiveness
is pure if its tested
by time and the hands of
the waiting who cower
and smile
singing truth through
the hail and barrage
‘cross the bow mast
of glory be given
broad measure and berth
as all that you seem to
desire slips slowly like
rain down a vent
pipe and plumb deep
the black dreams
such is the slag-shattered
glass of the future
that moves slow
through the arc
of the ages
who’ve waited and
watched ‘neath the moon
of deliberate ancients
that revolves in the
void of the others
that see what we
knew to be ever
the voice of the lost
to the light
of the dawning that
heralds the word of
this time that’s upon
us and holds us at
last in the fire
of visions and
longing for all that
we are to be
here in our heart
of the moment
that flees like
a squandering teardrop
forever away from
our loosening grasp
• • •
rob kistner © 2010
______________________
• Following here are the codes and the key to unlock the secret greeting.
Words code:
1b2342b1234d125a2
5b25c25d26a16b16b46e37b2347c27d27e37f127f3
7g17h28a29a239b139b49c19d129g12
Form code:
63032534066
Key: A letter represents the position of a line, the number immediately preceding the letter is the stanza, and the number(s) immediately following the letter is/are the position of the word(s) in the line – UNLESS the number refers to a stanza. All numbers are single integers.
For the fun and satisfaction of it you should endeavor to solve the code before you glance at the solution as exhibited below…
The secret message/greeting that the code unlocks is as follows here:
is pure truth
hail the glory
as desire
like dreams of the future
moves the ages
who’ve waited and watched
deliberate revolves the light of dawning
that heralds this time of visions
• • •
July 15th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
This piece covers a whole lot of ground, bringing the thought ’stream of consciousness’ to mind.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:28 am
But what a stream! I eagerly await Suncay, for the code
July 16th, 2010 at 4:48 am
Love all the subtle and slant rhymes in this piece. I think it works without the code, so I’m really curious to know what it is!
July 16th, 2010 at 6:48 am
This felt like a creed from the religion of a very foreign place …I can just see the masses reciting it by rote.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:24 am
This puts me in mind of a poet coming to conscious awareness of his/her gift and the world’s immediate need for that unique voice and expression at all times, through out time.
Elizabeth
July 16th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Right on the button Stan, I wrote this piece as stream of consciousness, then with very minor editing, crafted it into my interpretation of a steganographic work. Hope you return Sunday to solve it…
…rob
July 16th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Glad it touched you Viv. Hope you return Sunday to solve it…
…rob
July 16th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
You are most kind Twitches. Hope you return Sunday to solve it…
…rob
July 16th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Your take is not far from what I envisioned as the flash fiction backstory Cynthia. Hope you return Sunday to solve it…
…rob
July 16th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Yes, I like your interpretation here ElizaBeth — hope you return Sunday to solve it…
…rob
July 17th, 2010 at 12:56 am
I’m so glad you posted the flash fiction intro - it puts a lot of the puzzles of the poem into a clearer light - though I’m still no nearer to decoding it.
July 17th, 2010 at 1:14 am
I think only tonight have I realized the subconscious impact my traumatic upbringing in the catholic church had on this work, the flash fiction and the poem. It was written stream of consciousness, and this is where it went. Oh well, interesting the torments that reside in our soul unknown to our waking mind.
Viv, until I supply the code template and key, you won’t solve this. Even with these available on Sunday, it may still prove perplexing. I will post and reveal the secret message on Wednesday for anyone interested and still unable to unravel the embedded verse.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:35 am
I must say your freewrite was MUCH more coherent than mine, which seems to include Howdy Doody and peanut butter and Kraken.
The code…let’s just say thanks for providing the unencrypted message. You have some great material in there to amplify some day.
“plumb deep the black dreams” is a nice line, and I like “slag-shattered glass”
July 21st, 2010 at 8:25 am
Thank you Barbara for the kind and insightful comments. You mean you couldn’t follow my highly logical code — the “key” unlocked it effortlessly…
…rob
July 21st, 2010 at 9:30 am
Rob I am terrible at solving puzzles but I loved this piece!
Pamela
July 21st, 2010 at 9:43 am
The first line of “Stream” grabbed me and wouldn’t let go…
do not hide
from the great orb
of unquestioning fate
I couldn’t even think of there being a code. It simply was and is…
Wow….
(Thanks for commenting on my poem, too.)
My attempt at this week’s prompt.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:02 am
I had a surreal feel after reading it!
like an automata
July 21st, 2010 at 10:36 am
Thank you Pamela — puzzles are easier if you clear your mind, then read the clues slowly, considering carefully each word… here the “key” is the heart of the matter…
…rob
July 21st, 2010 at 10:41 am
Thank you Julie, you are most gracious!
This piece was not written with a code in mind, it was strictly a single-draft, stream-of-consciousness. I then re-imagined the piece, and the code overlaid — with only three very minor edits to make it work. I primarily wrote and inserted the flash fiction prologue to make the code work. It was an interesting experience…
…rob
July 21st, 2010 at 10:42 am
Wonderful Gautami…
…rob
July 21st, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Beautiful, Rob! Fun to solve.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:36 pm
I liked the flash fiction intro, but I really enjoyed the poem on its own merit. So many great lines, wonderful images. Especially liked, “such is the slag-shattered/glass of the future/that moves slow/through the arc/of the ages”
Can’t wait to get back to the island — hope to see you this next week!
July 21st, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Thank you Mary, pleased you enjoyed this work…
…rob
July 21st, 2010 at 7:21 pm
The poem was originally written as a stand alone work of surrealism, the flash fiction came after as a vehicle to adapt the piece for an additional purpose — so feel free to ignore the prologue Linda, and the coding/decoding aspect… the purely surreal nature is primarily how I embrace it …
…do hope to see you on the beach this coming week, the prompt will have an interestingly different slant…
…rob
July 23rd, 2010 at 9:35 pm
nice stream Rob…..OMMMMMMMMMMMM…thanks for sharing all your words