Poem: "The Archivist's Eye"
This poem came from the February 8, 2011 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from thesilentpoet and ellenmillion, then cosponsored between them. This is a Torn World poem about Unafari; some of you may have read her stories "The Shades of Yesterday" and "The Gaudy Eye." (Those are locked to supporters only.) The verses span the previous two stories and ultimately hint at events just beginning to ripple through the Empire now.
This poem hasn't been submitted to the canon board yet, so please consider it potentially canon rather than solid for now. Pending approval, it will eventually be posted on Torn World for public viewing, as it has been sponsored. thesilentpoet, are you registered on the Torn World site? If so, please let me know your TW username so I can list you as a patron when I submit the poem. Thanks!
The Archivist's Eye
-- a Torn World poem
The archivist's eye
rolls the colored pencils in a mental grip,
viewing not just their spectral hues but their symbolism.
The archivist's eye
sees the pin holes that are not there
and discerns the meaning of their absence.
The archivist's eye
reads the card in the catalog
and wonders at the glaring inconsistencies.
The archivist's eye
imagines flicking dust away from the feathers
to reveal the indeterminable truth of their provenance.
The archivist's eye
spots the wine rings on the license paper,
a study in pink revealing someone's secret vices.
The archivist's eye
lingers on a man's hands,
their smudge of ink telling his hidden passions.
The archivist's eye
overlays the past onto the present
and looks away, unable to watch the coming collision.