Big Sur
I.
Electric lines stretch from Mendocino
to Big Sur where the rocks jettison distraction,
clamp in fear, culling awe. I work
asleep along the clustered power lines
populated by transformers, the womb
like cities bursting with energy to fill the country.
Fingering a dog-eared copy of Joan Didion,
you dream of darting across slouching California
to leave me ensnared in this Medusa’s thicket,
in a flash of bristling light.
I am rolling clouds come with thunder,
standing atop a ridge
unable to grasp your graces,
vaporlike in my hand.
I’ve ceased to cherish you,
and you have done the same.
II.
I work the line until nightfall,
and walk out thermos in hand to meet you,
the night rain constant on the highway,
our rust bottom truck winds
the road. The stars, nestled white maize
in black porridge, a light peering through
the ether tar, and you and I breathe
under all this corruption.
17 thoughts on "Big Sur"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I really enjoyed this. So many good lines but my favorite is “clamp in fear, culling awe. I work/asleep…”
thanks Mr. Turner, very kind of you.
A poem of enery and loss and corruption. You move sure footed through this poem like a Big Sur lineman.
thank you Jim
This poem starts string and does not stop. I love the last line
**starts strong
I understood 🙂
All kinds of wonderful. Love the “nestled white maize in black porridge.”
Almost makes me think of English blood pudding for breakfast.
A lot of beautiful language and a compelling and dramatic ending.
I love:
unable to grasp your graces,
vaporlike in my hand
and
The stars, nestled white maize
in black porridge, a light peering through
the ether tar, and you and I breathe
under all this corruption.
🖤
“I am rolling clouds come with thunder,
standing atop a ridge”
What a lineman’s line!
As always, wonderful rhythm, images, and subtext here.
“slouching California” reminds of Yeats’ beast slouching toward Bethlehem to be born.
thanks sir
Big Sur and Mother Nature having it out. I admire the way you were able to imprison, reveal and release the feelings throughout the poem.
thank you
I LOVE Big Sur being at Esalen and Deetjen’s really brought me back to that strip of the Hwy. 1 and Henry Miller’s essence just a bit North before one arrives in Carmel. Thanks for taking me down there . . . vividly electric descriptions, thank you!
I want to go back to California often. A vista of this strip is my desktop wallpaper. 🙂 thank you for the kind comments.