Ahhh, an excellent and forlorn piece. One to haunt the mind....

Darn. I thought you were describing Rumsfeldt until he was desiring a ....?

Ron

Has below zero temperature of my Animas River Woman of Durango, think you could rekindle the sparks in a tipi and a frozen fish cooking in a cast-iron skillet over the fire, it all rides on your firestarting abilities, scintillating naked flesh. Jim Bridger would have found this line most interesting, I think,

"For there’s a continuous winter
Squalling within his eyes."

Sage

This is some really fine work. I enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to you kindred Bronx spirit (me-Southern Blvd, 1950's)
I'll be sure to read more of you. Thanks for your kind reviews as well.
yours,
simon

A brilliant attention absorber
it sucks one in till the end
Excellent poem ...Robert
Peace be with you

William

'He is weighed down
By the burden of his intellectual mass' ...he thinks too much!

And it sounds to me, like one who is ready to experience an emotional shutdown..

You blaze new trails here, Enigma Meister!
Love, Rhonda

Your understanding of the nature of man always produces great poetic insights. Your expression of these is inspiring to say the least. I love reading your work and just wish I had more time to do so.
Chanti

My first impression upon reading this outstanding compilation and contemplation of one's thoughts and understanding of one's own nature in verse, coupled with the images of the arctic sea hearkened back to the words and images of Herman Mellville and the way in which he described the sea and his surroundings expressing his inner feelings through his poigniant external observations. As in the image he created when describing the ocean on one particular day as he looked out across "the leaden sea" an image I'll never forget.

"He attempts to traverse a frozen ocean
Broken into fragments of frigid dreams"
is a unique blending of visual impression with personal introspection of the turmoil that can go one in the mind of the poet. "uconscious desires and "attempted lust" create a tension which further demonstrate this inner conflict. It is a mesmerizing piece. I enjoyed reading it.
I'll be back...
~Butch

Just brilliant Jude, I love the depth to this poem...and it's funny, I've just been messing with some video of the Antartic so your imagery (though it needs little help from video) is icily fresh, excellent!...Ice-breaker on it's way lol;)

Paul;-)

Goodness, men are confused! LOL. You're saying what many women hope is true, that the male puts on a facade of not really wanting them when he in reality burns with smoldering passion, that something is holding him back from saying he wants or desires you in the deepest sense because he quest for cosmic truth or wants a better job first or has been hurt. I'm of the mind that the guy who wrote the book HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU," however, is correct. If a man can't find a way to to break through his angst and other issues to sweep you off your feet, then "he's just not into you" the way you need him to be "into you."

I know. Some nights I'm a cold woman, Jude. LOL. ;-) But this is how I see it. And you can know your poem provoked me because I haven't written a long comment in a while. Got a bee in my bonnet over something tonight. A poem that provokes me is a good thing. Poetry should extract emotion.

And why is he attempting to lust? Don't we either lust or not lust? Just a question. Or do you mean that he attempts to present to the woman what lust stereotypically looks like but can't pull it off because it's not his nature? Please answer me, I need to be educated here. But if you do answer me, I'll only be educated in the ways of Jude, right? It really won't help me understand all of your gender. *grrrrr*

I now think of my poem "Pig Slop" again. A woman might die waiting for a certain type of man to come to his senses and act. ~~Nordette

burrr, intellectually frosty

This is mesmerizing, Jude. I have a brother who's just like this (at least in the way I interpret this). Hence, you've really reached my soul. Thank you. Love and peace to you,

Regis

I'm amazed by the grace and perfection of this description. Well done.

Sometimes we have to let go of our inner barriers, and risk our delicate heart, other wise one never see's the Sun...

His heart is a melting iceberg
Slowly dissolving in frosty convictions

... sounds like marshmallow in hot chocolate to me! :)) No.. on second thoughts make that frosted in cappucino... Whatever... as others have observed, so much heat encapsulated within this permafrost tis positively Narnian in feel, with the awakening taking placing on every level of the persona's existance... Personally fink there's plenty left to say, but tis hell with a laptop mouse that is misperformin which makes a mockery of much... Wordplay with "ambers" and "embers" is delightful, given the fossilised nature of the former. This seems to me to be a reasoned response to a personally directed question, given the mixture of personal participles... in which case the intellectual, objective and impersonal has already lost the battle against the emotional, subjective and personal... That's when life begins, it seems to me. This is, perhaps, a well Artic-ulated experimentation with cynicism which is not out of place in a House of Mirrors mind or out of keeping with a well-rounded poetic voice. Somehow reminds me greatly of the emotions expressed in Mirrored Heart. A psychological portraiture sketched with compassion and understanding. As for me, I'm experimenting with brevity but don't think I'm succeeding somehow...!!

All that is left for me to say, is that I agree with everything
already stated about this fine work, love and light, Sylvia

Sometimes you have to feed the intelligence to thaw the man :-) Who said man only survives with food? But he is melting isn't he? ;-) The frozen surface of such a man is only equal to the passion that is deep inside :-) and I'm rambling but its fun :-) Enjoyed this write.

Truly one of your most gripping pieces I have read Robert...I am always amazed at your talent.

Allen

Par excellence.....not much more left to say!!

Love Tinka

An excellent write! You are very talented my friend, Holly

Wow Jude...this was very captivating..."Face of an Artic Sea", so very emotional in your own write of affection!
A Keeper! smiles!
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~

This is brilliant, Jude. Something I could read over and over. I've known people like this. It's tragic.

He is weighed down
By the burden of his intellectual mass

Fascinating.

Robert

Has the Big Chill factor throughout the thread of this fascinating pen..

Still waters run deep...

Peter

This is excellent, Robert -- this poor soul is so out of touch. Your imagery is brilliant and I especially loved: "...Only a fraction of his thoughts/ Ever reach the surface of his reason.." Again, brilliant imagery here!
Love,
CJ

The cool feel of granite...the stare of dark penetrating eyes and the fire inside yearning to be released.The whole facade is cold on the surface and burning within. This pen has me desiring to look at the cold facade to the inner fire.
Susan

This sad reflective work is pure brilliance - surpressed emotion, deisiring to be released but lacking an appropriate avenue, or trapped maybe behind a locked and bolted door...perhaps he just never found a way to turn the key...or so he thought...complex, beautifully crafted and intense write Jude that has many layers. Panda :)

There are always people with superiority complexes. I wonder if they feel insecure somehow! Excellent poem. Victor

"Face of an Artic Sea"
An intense and engaging read!
A wholesome relating, great construction and deliverance.
Henceforth appropriately entitled.
Upon my reading it is a coming of metamorphosis or a birthing
of what seems to be an embedded heart to the surface. There
is a voice that wants to be heard at it's on leisure.

Thank you sincerely,
From the Heart of an Artist Quiet Storm

Talk about sangfroid, it could be this guys name. Some people are cold natured, but mostly it's just moods, in certain circumstances.
Such as death of a loved one. Whichever it is, you have dealt with it brilliantly! Actually you've given it an icy glaze that makes it almost beautiful in a pristine way. Remarkable poem, Jude!

This poetic sea is deep above and below the water line. Frozen ocean of emotion. Very beautiful and much enjoyed! R.

Absolutely brilliant. I felt sad for this person for, like you express so well, it must be quite a cold and distorted existence no not be able to access one's own emotions to the extent that this person cannot. You convey his failed attempts vividly and in a heartbreaking way.



Unable to conceive the warmth of distant stars,

Or touch the affections surrounding him.



Shows how you can have everything but nothing atall if you can't feel it. Yet many live in such an existence. Hopefully one day this man's heart can be thawed and his emotions lived. Thankyou for this powerful and perceptive write Jude.

chiseled depth of personality and soul state captured here, Jude. the perceived inability to break through the icy atmosphere in which he's been embalmed seems to weigh heavier than the superior intellect from the looks of it. well-captured sense of isolation, a sort of ambivalent imprisonment, an inescapable time of thawing which may never be complete. sorry to ramble on. just my take on this fascinating poetic portrait of one making the effort. Dawn