Narcissus
(for the artist who painted “Narcisse 11” iekocatnap)
(please click play to hear my recitation to the music of
Angelo Badalamenti, “Mulholland Drive Love Theme”
In the stilled waters of a liquid mirror,
he found love like a floating swan,
paddling through himself,
the night hanging cloudless above him.
He found love, jealous madness and poetry
and the moonlight shined in stripes
through the bending bars of his glorious prison.
He lost himself completely
in what he knew like his own sighs,
her night blue dream-filled eyes.
They kissed in poems of fuchsia’s passion
rosed now, the waters that covered his face,
his lip bleeding from too much feeling.
He watched her under him trembling,
copying his every expression.
Hours turned back to seconds,
now he was sure, he knew her more
than he knew his own obsession.
He sentenced himself to stay with her
night and day…and there was only her.
Wild words poured into his mind,
Oh! They made him open his mouth
to spill his ecstasy, and he let them
fall upon her off his tongue in single drops.
Her entire body trembled in
widening, spreading circles
until they faded in the shadows to a stop.
Thoughts called in notes of music and he was tempted,
to sail the seas to cool dark places,
rooms inside his mind being decorated,
before he could arrive..and every door he opened
was to invite her in and stay with him.
There was no pulling himself away, how could he?
not tomorrow…not possible today.
The key to love lay in the eyes that blinked back at him.
All the keys to the mysteries were
held inside her shifting beauty,
underneath the moonlight
washed in stripes.
He whispered it out loud now,
“Soul mate, you are in me”
Nights he passed close to her side,
so as not to disturb her silent rest,
even water for his thirst was self- denied.
and hunger became meaningless.
There was only her face
and the longing song
to join him.
Days were pages bound quickly into weeks,
flowers fell from the trees and covered him.
One moonless night he finally cried.
“Soul mate, I am in you”
Then slipping down into the waters
of his liquid mirror,
he closed his love-worn eyes,
surrendered to her peacefully and died.
Karima Hoisan
March 8, 2011
Virtual Gallery Linc Island SL
*Footnote
iekocatnap was one of my favorite Virtual/Real Life artists.
She is from France and I met her in Second Life and was
captivated from the start. She also did the painting Tierra Dorada
which I posted recently)
We have just re-met in the last few days on Opensim and she also has a new
world there, I am anxious to see. She visited my AI Art world last night and loved it.
11 years ago this was a favorite recital piece for my live shows, but until today,
I had never recorded it. I hope you enjoy it , even if my voice has not totally recovered 100% from Covid.
Digital Rabbit Hole 
Lovely! I’m glad you’ve now recorded this; your voice sounds excellent!
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Thank you Dale..glad you think so:)
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your reading of the poem is fantastic! the poem itself is beautiful & evocative: it really takes me on a trip🙏🏼❤️you, my soulkin, are a true poet!🙏🏼 i love your use of words, flowing so organically & enticingly. yep, you are the real deal! kudos!🙏🏼🤗🥰💕
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Oh my, coming from you, my soulkin, I am soaring and beaming and feeling very blessed to be “the real deal” Thank you for enjoying this one so much and giving me this beautiful comment, that felt almost more like a hug. 🙏❤️🤗🎈🦋
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Wow, this is absolutely gorgeous!!! Another brilliant reading, Karima!
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Thank you so much and I am thrilled you enjoyed my reading…I have been a little unsure, because my voice is still raspy from Covid. Thank you Thank you! 🙏🌹
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Your are wonderful at literary readings! If your throat still hurts at all, have you tried tea with honey? That often does the trick for me. ^_^
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Thanks so much Joyce and yes tea with honey does help!!!
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Hoooray! ^_^
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Beautiful! I started hallucinating while starring at the artistic pattern. XOXO
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Ohhh ieko will love that you did…smiles thank you AOC for your inspiring comment!!
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What a gorgeous peace, Karima! Loved it from the beginning till the very end, and your recital in deep voice makes it more powerful. You can only use verses like ‘lip bleeding from too much feeling.’👌💐💖
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Oh Kaushal…such a beautiful comment…thank you for taking the time to listen to my recording…and finding it more powerful with voice and music.. Ahh yes, that line..I saw it in my mind…after all it was Narcissus!!
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love your gorgeous poem with so much passion and love so beautifully expressed in your amazing voice. Such a gift. 💗❣️💞
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Wow! Thank you Cindy…your treasured comment is even more of a gift.Thank you for leaving it for me to find 🌹 ❤️🌹
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Oh I’m happy to hear that. The pleasure is all mine❣️
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Oh my goodness, that’s a beautiful reading, Karima. Amazingly meditative. It’s always a treat to hear you read. A wonderful experience. ✨❤️
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I’m blown away by this poem…this recitation is beautiful…in your beautiful voice of the I…heart touching truly is this piece…I listened to it twice & read it as well one other time…Karima, you’re a beautiful poet & a being…the way you’ve expressed every single line…oh my & wow…a breathtaking piece ❤️
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Hello dear Navin and oh my what a comment you left me! It took my breath away(so now we are even:):) I went into like a trance when I wrote this poem so many years ago..I was staring at the painting in my virtual gallery and got lost in it. Thank you so much, dear sensitive friend, for these amazing words.. How they inspire me to be a poet.. to trust my muse..I am so lucky I know you:)
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You’re very welcome, dear Karima…and I’m lucky to know you as my friend 💫
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