#speculativepoetry

[arscaelestis]

Dystopian Moon: Revelation of a Dream

Upon the farmhouse stoop we stood, beneath the azure gaze, Where Luna's sphere in daylight hung, a celestial maze. With continents and briny deeps, so stark against the blue, A sphere estranged from astral norms, presented in false hue.

"They've aestheticized the moon," he spoke, a statement darkly cast, A tapestry of power's weave, dystopian and vast. A projection in the heavens, where truth once freely roamed, Now an orb of grand deception, in silent sky it domed.

I turned away, a heart awash with anxious, pounding tides, Into the shelter of my abode, where uncertainty abides. "Why dost thou flee?" the shadow asked, a specter in my wake, Yet no solace found in walls that breathe, no refuge there to take.

The world outside, a stage of veils, where puppeteers convene, To drape the stars and script the clouds, to mask what must be seen. And we, but actors in the ruse, with sightless eyes we dance, To tunes composed by hidden hands, in ignorance's trance.

What doctrines sown among the rows of intellect's vast field, Are but the chaff of phantom minds, in gilded falsehoods sealed. The ruling kin, with threads of myth, weave cloaks of night so sheer, To swaddle firm the minds of men, in cradles wrought of fear.

And so we question bedrock truths, foundations turn to mist, As phantoms rule the firmament, by alchemists' own twist. Reality, a whispered dream, that slips through grasping thoughts, While overlords in silence scheme, in cryptic shadows wrought.

The moon, a sentinel of night, now cast in doubting role, Reflects the turmoil of our souls, the chaos of our whole. For what are we, if not but pawns in grand celestial play, Where truth is pawned for pageantry, and night consumes the day?

Our spirits, restless, seek the dawn, where certainty might dwell, Yet find ourselves on checkered grounds, betwixt our heaven and hell. The wool, so thick upon our eyes, obscures the paths we tread, With every step, the ground gives way to more doubt's web instead.

So in the dream, the moon revolved, a symbol of our plight, A globe of artifice so vast, it shunned the natural light. Yet in its counterfeit rotation, a truth begins to cleave, That even in constructed lies, the heart will still believe.

Arouse, arise, O slumbering minds, and cast the veils aside, For in the light of piercing day, no shadows can abide. The dream, though heart to heart may race, a truth within it vies, To question all, to seek, unveil, the truth behind the lies.

---------- Backstory:

I had a dream last night, wherein I found myself on the porch of a quaint house nestled in the heart of the countryside, with verdant fields stretching into the horizon. Beside me stood a figure whose identity remained shrouded in mystery. Together, we gazed upwards, our eyes drawn to the moon that hung in the broad daylight sky. This was no ordinary moon though, it boasted distinct continents and vast oceans, mimicking the Earth's surface, complete with delineated national borders akin to those on a terrestrial globe. Unnaturally, it rotated, offering a panoramic view of its transformed facade.

I remarked to my companion, perplexed, "That's impossible. We only ever see the same side of the moon." His reply was cryptic yet revealing, "They've aestheticized the moon." The implication was clear, what we beheld was nothing more than an elaborate facade, a mere projection in the celestial dome.

A wave of unease washed over me, compelling me to retreat into the sanctuary of my home. The man inquired about my sudden disquiet, but before I could respond, the dream dissolved, and I awoke. My heart raced, the anxiety from the dream lingering like a shadow, refusing to depart even as I returned to the waking world.

[paulsemel]

Though mostly known for publishing short stories, both "Asimov’s Science Fiction" and "Analog Science Fiction And Fact" have long published poems as well. Here's the link to my new interview with senior managing editor Emily Hockaday about the new anthology "The Heartbeat Of The Universe: Poems From Asimov’s Science Fiction And Analog Science Fiction And Fact 2012–2022." https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-heartbeat-of-the-universe-editor-emily-hockaday/ 📖🚀👽⚔️

[nowastedink]

2022 Rhysling Nominations - Eye To The Telescope 46

2022 Rhysling Nominations - Eye To The Telescope 46 #poetrycommunity #sfpoetry, #rhyslingawards

As Editor of “Eye To The Telescope 46”, Wendy Van Camp is proud to highlight three Rhysling Award Nominees for best speculative poem of 2022. It has been her pleasure to serve as a guest editor for the SFPA’s online literary journal. SHORT POEMS:After The Quest Is Over by Lisa TimpfAswang Shaman Communing with Diwata for the First Time by Vince Gotera LONG POEMS:The Frosty Voyage by Adele…

[chasmofbooks]

Warning - The Kraken’s Hunt

Listen close

and I’ll warn your soul

of the evil below.

Once it prowled the waves,

sensing devilish ways.

Devoured heart and soul—

destroyed our every foe.

Until it altered course.

Flee now.

Don’t wait too long,

for the Kraken hears your song.

Good and bad

hold no meaning.

The Kraken will tear you apart 

without feeling.

[miksimum]

INKTOBER no 8 Immobile bodies, Blood circuit minds straying far -- Peripheral worlds. #inktober #inktober2022 #inktober2022day8 #amdrawing #sketchbook #brushwork #inkdrawing #art #artistsoninstagram #scifi #sciencefiction #poetry #haiku #speculativepoetry #poetrycommunity #robot #inkwash #illustration https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj9Y1czuxHR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[gregsantospoet]

Thank you @vallummag for kicking of February by featuring my poem “The Ruins” as their Poem of the Week. Read the poem in its entirety and watch me read it in my bio or at the following link: (https://vallum.wordpress.com/2021/02/01/vallum-poem-of-the-week-the-ruins-by-greg-santos/) . . . #gregsantos #vallummagazine #vallummag #montreal #montrealpoet #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #speculativepoetry (at Vallum Magazine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKwy83ngKSQ48_-mjXElKw5OH66Ik3bBbKdnCg0/?igshid=qfbs2w1ldf1k

[bizarrowriter]

Posted @withregram • @swytovich Exciting news! Writing Poetry in the Dark is a craft book for speculative poets, by speculative poets. Edited by Bram Stoker award-winning author Stephanie M. Wytovich, with a foreword by one of the genre’s most celebrated authors, Tim Waggoner, this book meditates on craft, genre, style, and form as acclaimed SF/F/H poets come together to talk about their process, outlook, and approach to writing and incorporating the speculative into their poems. Full details in bio. #craftbook #poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #nonfictionbooks #rawdogscreamingpress #speculativepoetry #bookdealannouncement https://instagr.am/p/CYrQ43lrva9/

[f0restpunk]

@CharlesAustinMuir - This Is A Horror Book Happy National Book Day! Shoutout to @clashbooks, one of my fave independent publishers helmed by @lezacantoral, purveyors of fine, strange, boundary-pushing, genuinely interesting and exciting modern literature! And all around quality human beings! I'll go ahead and put that #linkinbio, as well. I recommend this one, This Is A Horror Book; Horror Film Poems by Christoph Paul; Tragedy Queens: Stories Inspired by Lana Del Rey & Sylvia Plath; and Leza Cantoral's Trash Panda, for starters! I've never read a bad word from this publisher, however, and their books are pretty inexpensive, so experiment and take a chance! . #NationalBookDay #Books #Bookstagram #bookworm #booklover #bibliophile #booksaremagic #CharlesAustinMuir #ThisIsAHorrorBook #ClashBooks #indielit #independentpublisher #indiepublisher #indieprint #indiebooks #ChristophPaul #HorrorFilmPoems #poems #poetry #poetrycommunity #horrorlover #horrorfanatic #horrorbooks #horrorlit #literaryhorror #LezaCantoral #TrashPanda #speculativepoetry #poetsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B_WXnp4ImWo/?igshid=y2ptuv75yk43

[leanan-sidhe]

One of the most gorgeous, perfect murals I’ve ever seen. This is, to me, such a beautiful representation of what it means to be a speculative/fantastic artist... #avatargoals ❤️ #mural #muralart #georgetown #washingtondc #dc #justpaperandtea #streetart #everydaymagic #speculativefiction #speculativepoetry #speculativeart #artwitch #magic #avatar http://bit.ly/2L7lpbp

[thaoworra]

Congratulations to the 2018 winners of the Rhysling Awards for speculative poetry of the year including Mary Soon Lee and Neil Gaiman! 

Art by Camino.

[nowastedink]

The Poets of LosCon48

The Poets of LosCon48 read! #sfpoetry #poetry #poetrycommunity

Thanksgiving Weekend has come and gone and so has LosCon 2022. It was a busy week for the poets of SFPA. We had two poetry panels. Pictured is our poetry reading “Imaginative Verse: A Reading of Speculative Poets” with Jean-Paul L. Garnier, Denise Dumars, Neil Citrin, Robin Rose Graves, and Wendy Van Camp. During the panel, we announced to the public the Rhysling Long Form winners and I read…

[bizarrowriter]

Congratulations to Christina Sng on her Stoker Award victory for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. It’s always a thrill when somebody at your table wins, and it has been a genuine pleasure publishing Christina. Expect more great things from her in the future! @swytovich did a great job delivering Christina’s heartfelt acceptance speech. #horror #awardwinning #stokers #horrorpoetry #awardwinner #stokerawards #horrorauthor #speculativepoetry #poetsofinstagram #instagrampoetry #singaporeanauthor #singaporeanwriter #awardtrophy #hauntedhouse #hauntedstatue #hwa #horrorwriters #horrorwritersassociation #stokercon2018 http://ift.tt/2FvvYB2

[f0restpunk]

Clark Ashton Smith, "From The Crypts Of Memory" found at this fabulously #fantastic and #fashionable Tumblr this morning, #MusicIsTheArt: http://musicistheart.tumblr.com/ + + + + DM or get in touch if you'd like yr #blog, #writing, #artwork, #designs or #fashion featured! Love shouting out amazing magickal creatures and creations! #ClarkAshtonSmith #FromTheCryptsOfMemory #Lovecraft #Lovecraftian #horror #horrorliterature #bibliophile #Mythos #cthulhumythos #hades #lilies #women #ladies #speculativefiction #SpeculativePoetry #horrorpoetry #amreading #writersofinstagram #artistsofinstagram #quoteoftheday #ghostly #ghostaesthetic