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The Vampire’s Lament

by Rula Shin


“…left…to dwell in the presence of immortal youth,
immortal age beside immortal youth,
and all I was in ashes" - Quoted from The Shadow of the Vampire


deathless life is death
eternally obsolete, as I,
stale in Timeless dust

decay is everlasting when
Earth inhales her exhales,
wise in aging youth

victorious mortal defiance of
Time begets a new toil of
mourning DeathÂ’s loss,

he who carried me once to
reveal the heavens on this,
our savage earth, yet now

these eyes no longer gape in
perpetual adolescence at
beauty in its abundant waste

divine visions slowly
fade with the passing
ends of endless experience

bitter creation am I
who trades a destiny known
for a destiny known,

who trembling in the face
of death can choose a path
to laugh amongst the Gods

and in return give this
swelling heart as pay
to rise above the tides

without the ebb and flow
of longing, feel no pain, and
destiny unknown snatched away

eternity holds no
Time to conquer or
cross to bear, yet

here I bear the cross
of conquered Time, no
End to flee, behold

days are but nightÂ…

04/11/2004

Author's Note: Inspired by Joe Chile's comment on Ashok Sharda's "A Lived For Ever".

Posted on 04/12/2004
Copyright © 2024 Rula Shin

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Michele Schottelkorb on 04/12/04 at 05:25 AM

"the shadow of the vampire" is an excellent film... it's ironic that you quote it... i just wrote a poem about "the hunger", another vampire movie... this piece inscribes upon the psyche the lament of the vampire... both seductive and immortal, yet torn between it's nature and it's old human self... flavorful verbiage lends dark lush feeling to this well conveyed poem... you have tasted of the vampire plight in rare form... excellent... blessings...

Posted by Ashok Sharda on 04/12/04 at 04:09 PM

Life is synonym of Time and so is Death. The process of life and the process of death walks hand in hand. If there was no time, there wouldn’t be life. If there was no life, there wouldn’t be death. One who begets is bound to die, living the process of life and death from moment to moment, renewing life with the passage of time. Inanimates lives perpetually in timelessness and they are perpetually dead. A life without the dimension of time will not let it grow. Will not let it die. The inanimate shall remain as dead as dead. In Sanskrit there’s a common term forTime and Death-KAAL. One who begets has to die. A deathless life is no life.”its eternally obsolete’. Its perpetually dead. ‘Days are but night’. Yes a perpetual night. This is a nicely flowing piece written in first person from the Vampires point of view lamenting her own vocation-‘bitter creation am I who trades a destiny known for a destiny known, ‘ Choosing a perpetual death in the disguise of timeless life in place of life and death walking hands in hands. The vampire seems to have arrived at the logical conclusion-‘here I bear the cross of conquered Time, no End to flee, behold days are but night…. Eternal night.

Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 04/12/04 at 06:36 PM

Well titled Rula. Reminds of Anne Rice's brooding vampires.

Posted by Richard Trotter on 04/12/04 at 08:44 PM

beautifully told, it captures the sadness of the vampire mythology.

Posted by Richard D Frederick on 04/12/04 at 08:52 PM

this doesn't remind me so much of vampires as any immortal, legend or supernatural. giving up your unpredictable but short existance for an endless, repetive one. if you have infinite time to live, then predictability becomes a cornerstone of life... i'm just rambling though. either way, this is one of the better poems i've seen on the subject of vampires and the immortal, not campy or "goth," and it's imagery is stunning. you have an excellent command of the language, Mrs. Shin.

Posted by J. P. Davies on 04/12/04 at 09:14 PM

This is sooo sad :( way to make me pity the vampire. I'm a Vampire movie fiend so this speaks to me. In not dying one cannot have life. And the newness of all has turned but to ashes as the flavour is removed from the world. Seeing not a final destination as an ending but of knowing that you shall continue is but a smaller more infinite death than can be seen from the vantage of the living. What a wonderful peice.

Posted by Christopher Shin on 04/13/04 at 06:48 PM

Interesting poem about going against nature. Me I think immortality is curse. To see the world die around and yet you are always the same.

Posted by Philip F De Pinto on 04/15/04 at 04:52 PM

I sense the tentmaker, Khayam's words echoing in your verse, which warn, lo and behold, and quickly to life, as tis later than we think.

Posted by Ginette T Belle on 04/15/04 at 11:34 PM

inspiring writing...

Posted by Bruce W Niedt on 04/16/04 at 07:43 PM

So much gorgeous, lyrical language in this, strong meter, and wonderful imagery and mood. As said above, this could be as mouch about someone who has outlived his loved ones as it could be one who is "undead". A fine mood piece, capturing just what it must feel like.... d:-)

Posted by Laura Doom on 10/05/05 at 07:48 PM

...and do the gods laugh? time stood still as I drank this creation - brilliantly dark liquid-food for thought...

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