Lexeme vs. Delineation

 

LEXEME VS. DELINEATION

In this corner, in the black and white -
Lexeme,
descriptive, sometimes sharp,
and always telling a tale.

And in the opposing corner, in every color -
Delineation,
worth a thousand words
except the exactly right words,
those come on their own.

The crowd draws ringside with fever,
the titans within square off
each sizing up weakness,
hiding flaws, ducking and weaving.

Delineation lands a devastating opening blow
with formal concepts of composition,
but Poetry gives Lexeme a fluid response
in nested rhyming couplets
and the first round is a draw.

Lexeme comes back with a flurry,
driving Delineation to the ropes
with hundreds of names for color;
magenta, puce, teal, salmon and mauve
catch Delineation a brutal assault -
but he rallies, blending the tones,
and catches a desert sunset while doing so,
and the judges award the second round to Delineation.

In a rage, Lexeme hurls invective,
cursing in several languages
with local idiom and inventive disgust
he shreds the dignity of Delineation
and others like him
with a withering stream
of hate.

Delineation responds with a swastika.

Round 3 goes to Delineation.

Delineation plays to the crowd,
toys with Lexeme
uses Lexeme as Art motif.

Lexeme relays critical review, gossip,
and water cooler buzz,
dismissive opinion equals dismissed.

Round four to Lexeme.

Back and forth the titans go,
Each one pushing harder and stronger still.
They have battled for thousands of years
and they are battling still, tonight.

They are doomed to fight forever, I’m afraid,
They are brothers, after all.

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Shared as an open link with those who can appreciate the Lexeme over at DVerse Poets.

This poem appeared in "Breathing for Clouds" available from Big Table Publishing.

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©2014 Christopher Reilley

 
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