Home

JPEG (The Cosmic Horror of Digital Photography)

by Alastre Zidler

For years I’ve been
Hiding
This grainy image of us
I had stolen and scanned
Bouncing back and forth
On disk and e-mail
Preserved in the aether

No paper to yellow
Or colors to dull
A vague memory our time together
Immortalized in a low-res
Arrangement of colored squares

A visual language to translate
The shining smile
The glacial, murderous eyes-
There are still days when I
Fall to my knees
And am ruined by you

Would you pity me
That this flawed, immaterial
String of characters
Wreathes me in your flames
And leaves me
Terrified of what
Heaven may one day hold

09/23/2005

Posted on 09/24/2005
Copyright © 2024 Alastre Zidler

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Ashok Sharda on 09/29/05 at 04:06 PM

Well, what basically matters is the image and the associations, the image has built with the objects without as well as the thoughts, within.What matters is the quality of energies these associations refines and transmitts. Yes, this association seems to be generating refined energies.

Posted by Rula Shin on 09/29/05 at 09:08 PM

I too like the title and I really like the poem too. How interesting that photography captures images in time, yet still we must interpret that past image by projecting the past memory and reflecting upon it in the present moment, capturing the memory of what we see based on our past association with that person, place, time etc as well as our current place and time and newer associations...as Ashok points out, it is the association we have with that image that lives on, but even these may bend and twist depending on the moment in which we view that digital photo, etched in the mind as a projected moment evaluated by the present state of mind. Of course I glossed over the ipact of this projection on one's own present state of being, one can obtain certain kinds of positive or negative energies based on how he associates with the image and whether or not he chooses to use those energies for what they should be used for, and not abuse them or let them abuse him. Very cool piece, nicely done. Thanks for making me think :-)

Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 09/30/05 at 02:36 PM

The resonating power of a photograph, made all the more powerful by its instantaneous reviewing thanks to cyber-technology. I like this a lot, and love the title, both titles infact; maybe put them together as: JPEG (The Cosmic Horror of Digital Photography). Adds to favorites.

Posted by Alison McKenzie on 10/03/05 at 03:56 AM

OMG, this is wonderful. Your muse needs to WAKE UP more often!!! I've missed your mastery.

Posted by Michelle Angelini on 07/01/06 at 05:04 AM

Congratulations on POTD! I need to read more of your poetry, since I like this one. The emotions in it scratch the surface of forgetfulness, but wanting to remember all the same.
~Chelle~

Posted by Karl Waldbauer on 07/01/06 at 06:08 AM

Congratulations on POTD. Thanks for the pleasure I experienced reading such an excellent poem.

Posted by Joan Serratelli on 03/28/09 at 03:10 PM

Lovely, just simply lovely. No wonder it was a POTD

Return to the Previous Page
 

pathetic.org Version 7.3.2 May 2004 Terms and Conditions of Use 0 member(s) and 2 visitor(s) online
All works Copyright © 2024 their respective authors. Page Generated In 0 Second(s)