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Poem: “Disrespectful Flesh”

by on Nov 06, 2011 in Poetry
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Disrespectful Flesh

As I walked along the river
In the spate of rushing spring,
I gave it voice and heard it lecture:
You must die by summoning

Man, remember you must die
As I must hurry down to rest,
The burning of the sun must dry
My curvedness, so it confessed

You and I must lose our forms
We must appear on judgment day,
I will be a sea of storms
In which you drown or walk away

That I must die I always knew
I’m old and ready to be broken,
A summons there might be for you
But as for me you are mistaken

I am too minor to be fetched
And you will vanish in an ocean,
Begone you disrespectful flesh
The river rushed, resumed its motion

Pavel
May 4, 2011


Pavel Chichikov is a Washington DC-based poet and photographer. He has written for both the secular and the Catholic press on issues as diverse as Russian nuclear weapons systems, Olympic athletes, and miracles. His books include From Here to Babylon: Poems by Pavel Chichikov,  Lion Sun: Poems by Pavel Chichikov, Mysteries and Stations in the Manner of Ignatius, and Animal Kingdom. Pavel may be heard reading his works on catholicradiointernational.com and on pavelreads.com. His poetry regularly appears on "The Poetry of Pavel Chichikov."