The Meaning of Surrender

Summary

The website content discusses the concept of surrender through a poetic exploration of darkness and light, using the duplex form and prose accompaniment to convey the struggle and acceptance of grief.

Abstract

The "Meaning of Surrender" is an artistic piece that delves into the emotional depths of choosing to face darkness rather than be consumed by it. It employs the duplex poetic form, a structure characterized by a series of couplets with a specific repetition pattern, as well as prose elements reminiscent of the Japanese haibun style. The author reflects on the all-encompassing nature of darkness, particularly on days when it feels overwhelming, and the transformative power of surrendering to this darkness to find an inner light. This light leads to a place of choice, where one holds darkness within the light, suggesting a harmonious coexistence of opposing forces. The theme of grief is central to the work, with the author sharing personal insights on how poetry has been a medium for mending and expressing newfound understanding through life's trials. The piece invites readers to engage with the theme of surrender and to explore the author's previous works on related subjects.

Opinions

The author views surrender not as defeat but as an active choice to embrace both darkness and light.
Grief is portrayed as a profound experience that can leave a lasting impact, represented by a hole of loss that can distort even the brightest daylight.
The duplex form is acknowledged as a flexible poetic structure, with the author adapting it while still paying homage to its original format.
The prose accompaniment serves as a reflective companion to the poetry, providing context and personal narrative.
The author values reader feedback, encouraging engagement with the work and inviting discussion on the themes presented.
The author expresses gratitude to the readers, indicating a sense of community and shared experience through the act of reading and reflecting on the poetry.
Previous works by the author on similar themes are presented as a continuum of exploration, suggesting a deep and ongoing engagement with the subject matter.

A duplex with prose accompaniment

Sketch by the author

all is embraced in the choice that you make not to be swallowed by the darkness of days

some days have a darkness that would swallow your soul

what soul can’t be swallowed in a hole left by grief

a hole made of loss that can bend all daylight

light bending down your knees to the ground

on the ground where you find surrender’s bright light

a light that you follow to a place where you choose

a place where you choose to hold darkness in light

some days have a darkness that would swallow you whole until you choose to embrace it all

The duplex is a poetic form created by Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown that uses couplets of two distinct lines. The second line is represented in the next couplet and a new line is added. This is repeated until there are seven couplets, typically of nine to eleven syllables.

Once more I am playing with the duplex form keeping a little closer to Brown’s described format but still loose on the syllable count and sandwiching it in-between a prose accompaniment (an idea I borrowed from he Japanese haibun form). Feel free to let me know what you think.

Grief is a theme I have explored and mended through poetry. As I look at the mended bowl of my life, I find new expressions of insight through the cracks of my life. My bowl is overrun by words that get stitched together here.

Thank you for reading.

I introduced the duplex here:

and have explored grief here:

The Meaning of Surrender

A duplex with prose accompaniment

Hypnotic Duplex

A Poetic Invitation to Focus on Well-Being

Grief’s Paradox

The station dwells where else but in the city’s bowels. I descend.

Through Silence & Ash

Phoenix Rising

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