strange how old losers always hang on ;)

stimulating work, Kate ...

It's been far too long since I've stopped in -- forgive me? And I come back to this. YOU. Your words. Undone. Thank you.

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

He sounds like a Harry Potter dementor, sucking the joy and happiness out of everyone around until all that's left is black despair, doom and gloom. I can see just see his poker face at the card table!

Stark brilliance here, imagery with subtle humor and double entendres! I especially love the ending so masterfully done.
Blessings, xx
Christine

darkness dude just seems to have staying power.

unfortunate the battle yet rages - victory will not belong to the one who is "blotting and blighting whatever he can", "exacting blind revenge" - your satirical wit rushes from these lines in a crescendo of reading pleasure Kate - and through it all your philosophical message shines above the, "Darkness" - I bid you love and peace my dear friend - Jon Michael

humour with the teeth of satire, Kate,
and the bite is right on target;
luv 'coal-seam thoughts' one of just
many fine phrases here;
you're sharp and wicked and wise all in one

john

Such a sinister characterization. Well penned as always Kate.

Kate ~
Unique writing of the pales of darkness.

Lady Mary Ann

"Lovers need only dappled shade", but what is darkness about? Whose realm are we looking for, when we hide in the shadow? Can we grow tired of too much light? So many questions in this poem (for me); your sense of humour works in a mysteriously philosophical way. As always, love your poetic energy, Kate!

Axilea

Between the glib solipsism and the self-absorbed loquaciousness lies the shadow of substance, but enough commentary on the comments your offering has elicited.

Your naturalistic opening artfully conveys the weariness inherent in the dualism (pun intended) of your selective worldview; next comes the deft comic touch tainting the prince of darkness into a metaphoric corner (incidentally, that is some nice metonymy implied in your title) with those broad brush strokes… [he got the fever, oh yeah… he got it good!]; then comes the fret of subterfuge… and all that neon naughtiness that is Vegas… umm umm umm… let’s see there is the weariness, the fever and the fret… yeah, you guessed it there is a real Keatsian undertow to this… not just because of the synaesthesia either. Nice touch that a sunny day brings his infernal highness down, too! Then a fine fit to end, taking us full circle beyond the romance and the military machinations to the unseemly world of bugs and insects. Bravo, Kate. This one would bring a smile to a jade.

Roger

Humor indeed. Bats ... they (ravenously) eat mosquitoes; did you know? Everything we poke into in life seems to be in the dark (hahahahahahahaha) except the refer unless the lights out. "the pit of hell as seen from Mars" Such a thought; you have forced me to cogitate this poem (now) for a week. Your work is truly singular. Kudos indeed! r

A great personification of his Royal Darkness, himself. You'll never see him come out of the shade. And, unlike the vampire, he's unlikely to bite you in the neck. More likely to caress you and kiss you in the neck in a way you can't resist––and then suck you in.

Lovely dark afternoon reading.

Ron

My Aunt always said it will be ok in 100 years, powerful poem Kate!

Darkness is seen best when the light is strongest. You show that within this write.

Your last stanza is quite powerful and alas, I believe we are all losers these days.

With so much wickedness in this world and evil on the increase as the masses become desensitized to the ills that drive us closer and closer to a final darkness...I have to opine that there is no real hope for the majority...and we are plagued by those in cold blood. The beauty in which you write proves there are minds who are acutely aware. What magnificent work this is.
Amor

Man, is the culprit...EEEHHH.

Deborah

Strong images striking strong reactions. Is that not the point, dark or light? Excellent. Be well, Kathy

Sometimes, I don't get it when people make inane comments about subjects such as this. But, of course, some like me would be seen as... whatever. My point: this is a layered mandate of all that is phony, miscreant and agendized in both politics and societal reality. Unrest has few voices, seemingly fearful that to speak the truth, or to just take the time to truly read a piece of prose/poetry, line for line, and comment on the work's impact with more than a glib one-liner is too much work. Anyway, "getting over himself" is a multi-cultured "no-no" for those of such ilk, the ones needing to get over themselves, the institutions that need to get over themselves, the religious phonies that need to get over themselves, and most importantly, the "opinionators" that truly need to get a life, get free of their shorthand nonsense, off twitter, facebook and spend some time reading more than a few characters in order to add to their roster of so-called friends. Here, for instance, you have packed into 6 stanzas of earnest exploration more syllabic power than most are even capable of, let alone of the energy and tenacity to type out so many characters in an effort to realize worth, maybe even a mini epiphany. Yes, it takes more than opinion to write this way. Experience and wisdom make for a good start. You've obviously passed this test and should be given the opportunity to improve the test and write your own curriculum. Still, the old loser hangs on,

blotting and blighting whatever he can

with his trigger-finger itching,

exacting blind revenge

in parks, palaces and temples,

crawling under stones.

This final stanza challenges an open mind to truly take score on him or herself, the degree to which admittance of guilt is in order. I'm signing off now to do just that. I hope I pass. (So well done! Kudos.)

Dark and well done but I clicked on it because it was marked humor. Mistake?

to be fair, the darkness was here first and the light invaded the territory ;)

I remember once Kate, in my early, naive days, I said to a taxi driver in Los Angeles that the US would be so much richer if there wasn't so much corruption. Decades later, his answer still resonates: "ah," he said, "but that adds the spice to life".

a well written piece of poetry to an apt topic
budd

Your verses bring much thinking to my mind, Kate; to me, this is a apt and timely sharing. Thank you. Love and best wishes,

Regis

If you think God won, Kate, you had better get a new prescription for those specs.