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DeadMan, the painting is from 1781 called "The Nightmare," but I don't know
where you might have seen it before. I put the artist info at the bottom of the poem. I always write first and then look for an image. I have a blogspot blog, too, and images are easier to work with there. Often times I don't put one here because I can't get it to work, but this was so perfect I had to make it work (with the template...I'm not super HTML literate). I couldn't believe how lucky I was to make such a perfect find in the painting. Thanks for the kind words....I love making words up. 
This was a good one for that.
posted by
Temple
on November 20, 2005 at 4:08 AM
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Temple
I read this one earlier this morn' - in fact, it is what kept me scrolling. Sleepdemon...Peacethief...quite colorful and powerful descriptions for this work. Awesome poem...
I have seen this painting before. Can't think of when or where, but I have seen it. Great choice for setting the mood of the poem. Was it the brush that inspired the words? or did the words come to remind you of the painting? Just curious ol' me! 
posted by
bwFrampton
on November 20, 2005 at 4:00 AM
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kellyrose
I expressed what I wanted to with it and I like my poetry to be very succinct, simple. It says everything I wanted it say, and I'm very happy with it, so I wouldn't add anything to it. The painting was just a lucky find and I love the two together, but my words already express the full picture so I wouldn't dare remove it. I absolutely love the way they compliment each other. I'm not sure what you mean by it just gets strarted, then it end.....It is complete within itself, a full thought, a full story. Thanks for reading.
posted by
Temple
on October 19, 2005 at 5:50 PM
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thoughts
nice. i especially enjoy the wordchoice of the last 6 lines... the poem seems to just get going, then it ends... i like that it doesn't just take sleep, but "sneaks life away". the picture adds to it, but could you replace the picture for your own vivid words? that would be an amazing poem!
posted by
kellyrose
on October 19, 2005 at 4:45 PM
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Adaman,
Globally I don't see light winning. In my life I believe it can, or with what I have to face every day I wouldn't be able to try. I write a great deal about this in my journal blog. This was not a situation of my choosing, or a mess I put myself in, but nonetheless it's up to me to find ways out of it. This poem was about nightmares, which are beyond my control to a degree. I do what I can do to help them go away, but there are elements beyond my control. I'm really over educated, I'm afraid, on finding light in the dark. I have no doubts of my own strength and I do take accountability for my life's choices. It's good that knowing that for you made your life go well. For me, I have another purpose apparently. Thanks again for the comment.
posted by
Temple
on October 19, 2005 at 1:22 AM
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Temple, I agree, I don't see light winning either....
But I believe it can and does, because in individual cases where the battle is actually fought, it often does. I've seen people win against terrible odds, so I have faith in that possibility. Also, I've noticed for myself --not to say by extension that this is true for you or anyone else -- that I myself seem to have in some way gotten myself into every mess I've ever gotten into, even the ones that couldn't have possibly been my doing!
I agreed to be married, for example, to a woman who was not really right for me. Why? I didn't know myself well enough to know what I really wanted. I didn't know how to tell the difference between positive people and those who just pretend. But for six of our thirteen years I blamed her for victimizing me! On the surface it was so true, and so obvious. But it wasn't until I saw that I had put myself there -- with my own decisions and agreements -- that I was able to make my life go better.
Anyway, that's one example, and I don't mean to apply it to you, but rather to explain my comment. In my experience, most people -- including myself -- resist the above idea like mad. (My theory on that is that we actually are much more powerful and knowing than we think we are, and we just don't want to admit it, though we suspect it.) I've resisted it so strongly, and yet... my life has only gotten better in those really bad areas when I've seen how I caused it myself (Horrible thought, I know!)
Thanks for answering my first comment. I'd like to hear what you think about this and your ideas as well.
posted by
Adaman
on October 18, 2005 at 9:21 AM
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Adaman
When I look around at what I see, I don't see light ultimately winning....but thank you for the luck. It's not always so simple as giving power away, there are things always beyond our control....we work with what is within our control. Sometimes that isn't enough. Thank you for the read and the comment.
posted by
Temple
on October 18, 2005 at 2:41 AM
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Great poem. Sounds absolutely frightening. Too much power given to another
-- yes, given -- can erode one's life, no? Like a drug. (Light ultimately wins; I wish you success in such a battle.)
posted by
Adaman
on October 18, 2005 at 2:33 AM
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avant-garde
Thank you very much. This is one of my favorites also....more so because I love how the painting works with my words as well. I appreciate the comment and I'm happy you enjoyed the piece. :)
posted by
Temple
on October 14, 2005 at 11:13 PM
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Temple
Good mixture of art and poem. Enjoyed this one immensely.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 14, 2005 at 4:51 PM
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Thank you MysticGmekeepr.
Yes, I love the Blue Duo, too. She's a wonderful young artist. :)
posted by
Temple
on October 11, 2005 at 2:57 AM
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lovely Temple
...and I so adore the blue duo
posted by
MysticGmekeepr
on October 8, 2005 at 2:58 PM
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Spitfire.
Actually, I wrote the poem first about what I'm personally dealing with and found the painting afterwards. I just got lucky that they were a perfect fit, but I wasn't writing about the painting. I was using the painting to capture the feeling of my word.
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 11:06 PM
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B
Thank you. :) I'm always excited when I find the perfect image to go with my words and the feeling behind them. Thanks for reading.
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 11:00 PM
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T,
I have seen this pic before and you really captured it with this poem.
posted by
SpitFire70
on October 6, 2005 at 10:51 PM
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Beautiful poem and illustration to accompany it.
B.
posted by
A-and-B
on October 6, 2005 at 10:00 PM
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Libby
Oh my god no! I'm a tomboy, I hate shopping, and I'm not at all about accesorries. Never have been. When it comes to my art, that's different. I see those things perfectly in my mind's eye, but nothing else. On my other blogspot I put photos/images all the time, but it's a pain here to get them how I want them, so I do it less frequently.
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 7:55 PM
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MiaElla
Thank you so much. :) I thought the painting was a great find, too.
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 7:51 PM
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WhiteJedi
Thanks for reading and leaving a footprint. I've always liked to play with words like that, but usually they just come to me with the rhythm of the piece. I have my own little vocabulary in one of my journals. :)
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 7:49 PM
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Wow, the poem and painting really do go perfectly together! I bet you really know how to accessorize!!
posted by
Holy_Grail
on October 6, 2005 at 7:45 PM
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redlunar
Thank you for such a wonderful compliment. I feel the same way about you. I don't comment much, but I do read (I read slowly so I just try and keep up as much as I can). I think you are a wonderful poet. The painting was a good find, I like it, too. Thank you for reading and leaving a comment. I'm glad you liked it.
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 7:43 PM
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Temple
I enjoyed this poem and painting combo immensely
posted by
MiaElla
on October 6, 2005 at 12:35 PM
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I love the terms "sleepdemon" and "peacethief." You've got a great way of combining words.
posted by
WhiteJedi
on October 6, 2005 at 11:27 AM
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temple,
I may have said this before, but you are likely one of the best poets here on Blogit. I love this poem. It's vivid imagery is told succintly -- with few words. I like the juxtaposition with the painting. red
posted by
redlunar
on October 6, 2005 at 8:50 AM
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thanks symphony...
posted by
Temple
on October 6, 2005 at 6:40 AM
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excellent work....very deep....i like
posted by
_Symphony_
on October 5, 2005 at 6:09 AM
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Krisles
Nightmares, especially constant and frequent ones, are so powerful and distruptive of sleep and daylight... I'm glad you don't have them. I'm glad it shows through what I was trying to say. Thanks for reading and commenting. :) Nice to see you again.
posted by
Temple
on October 4, 2005 at 8:47 PM
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Temple
I'm trying to slowly but surely do some catch-up reading and you sure blew me away with this one! I've only had one nightmare in my life....could never imagaine what it would be like to have them all the time, but you bring me the closest I've ever come to it with such a simple but powerful post. I repeat...WOW!
posted by
Krisles
on October 4, 2005 at 7:21 PM
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smartdog
I don't think everyone has a sleepdemon....maybe some nightmares, but this bastard rules my sleeping (if you can call it that) and waking hours. This is a different animal.
posted by
Temple
on October 4, 2005 at 5:59 PM
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Silvermoon
Thanks for the read and the comment. Breathtaking....lovely choice of words, thank you for that also.
posted by
Temple
on October 4, 2005 at 5:56 PM
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Thanks Strat....
I appreciate you catching up...and the wow. :)
posted by
Temple
on October 4, 2005 at 5:56 PM
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Temp
I think everyone has a 'sleepdeamon.' How often he/she/it visits us may be another question altogether.
-smartdog
posted by
smartdog_670
on October 4, 2005 at 3:55 PM
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breathtaking poetry.
posted by
SilverMoon7
on October 4, 2005 at 1:48 PM
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Hiya Temple!
Just catching up. Wow!
posted by
strat
on October 4, 2005 at 7:55 AM
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