Speaking In Tongues
Guided by Voices

POEMS

by Andrey Kneller







Warm snow was melting...
I cherish you Fall...
I've gained weight...
Breathing in the silent night...
A prayer
Last date with Autumn
Licked by the tongues of summer heat...
Macbeth's soliloquy
The window leaned against the moon...
The night walked straight into my house...
Spring sprung...
Oh, spare me Love...
Forgive me Love...
The moon has spilled the silver flour...
To February (Dedicated to a close friend on her birthday)
As though a tempest tempting vessels...
A response to R. Frost's «Fire and Ice»
Embrace me Silence...
How many nights went by...
True love is missing...






Warm snow was melting...



That night there was a full eclipse
Warm snow was melting on her lips
A scent of spring was in the air
He said, «let's go,» she asked him, «where?»
They slowly wandered with no purpose
Warm snow was melting on the surface
He tightly held her shaking hand
He said, «let's kiss,» she asked him, «when?»
Their lips have touched and frozen still
Warm snow was melting on a hill
Heart to a heart, eye to an eye
He begged, «again!» she asked him, «why?»
There was no purpose in it all
Warm snow has melted in his soul
In her, the snow turned into ice
And she was melting in his eyes




I cherish you Fall...



I cherish you Fall; you're my love and my curse
I'm dying of thirst; my fatigue pays its toll
I beg you, don't stall, order clouds to burst,
I will crawl to the puddles to fill up my soul


Here you stand on the edge, facing your fate
And the time will not wait, turning over the page
It will set off the change, not a second delayed,
Immature at your age you will vacate the stage


Drop by drop, leaf by leaf, you are closer to snow
I observe you in awe, with a great disbelief,
Not a wrinkle of grief even though you must go
And with less time to breathe only higher you heave


Only higher you rise in a whirlpool of leaves
While nature's striptease attracts all the eyes
And you flee in disguise while nobody sees
Then you cease to exist slowly shrinking in size




I've gained weight...



I've gained weight, dreams ceased...
Now I live deprived!
Oh, my nicotine! -- how I use to thrive!
How I used to sink in you gentle mist!
How I used to dream and my dreams arrived!


Oh, my cigarettes! How I've held you tight! --
How I've sat in peace!
For the final time, let me feel that bliss!
I still think of you every lonely night!
Oh, how much I miss all the butts I've kissed!




Breathing in the silent night...



Choking minutes with her hands
Slowly squeezing the aorta,
Nature, with her frozen glance,
Proves to us that she's immortal.


Naked trees in passion sway,
Sweeping stars, while none will fall.
Icy puddles mark my way --
Dark like windows to one's soul.


Frozen doves rest on the cable
They observe the pale sky.
Wind -- the hand that rocks the cradle,
Softly sings a lullaby.


Thus I linger, sad and dreary,
Breathing in the silent night.
Shaking lips still prove my theory,
It's so cold -- dreams freeze in flight.




A prayer



I came here only for one reason
After the years I've spend in prison
I've realized how much I've missed
I asked myself whom should I see,
And since the Buddha wasn't free
You were the second on my list


I won't commit the deadly sins
I'll stay from rice and beans
And I've already lost all sense of pride
I will not envy other men
Except for John, my richest friend,
And I must lust from night to night


I'll never use Your name in vain
But holy shit it's such a pain
To follow Your commandments
I cannot promise number seven
I need to have my share of heaven
And You should know rare it happens


I even went to Church one day
I'm sorry that I could not stay
In my defense I had the flu
And with the gain of missing class
I was the altar boy at Mass
But I forgot just what to do


Last month, I even read your Word
Although I slept, Your voice I heard
Your readings were fantastic
The one with Abraham was best
To put the poor guy to the test
Now that's an instant classic


Dear Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Whichever one, I hope You hear it
Do as you preached, help out a stranger!
I do not need a V-I-P
Just let me sit right there with Thee
And find for me a younger angel!




Last date with Autumn



The thirsty stars lapped water out of puddles
The crispy breeze roamed through the lonely streets
I chewed my cotton candy, and the clouds
Would disconnect into the tiny threads and bits
The restless night leaned gently on my shoulders
The streetlights shinned directly in my eyes
But nothing passed my skin, my flesh, my fortress
I walked without a care, like hypnotized
So here we are and this, our final date together,
Let's make it seem eternal and unique
And I shall wait for you, for worse and for the better
Afraid to hear «good-bye,» we do not speak




Licked by the tongues of summer heat...



Licked by the tongues of summer heat
The day burns slowly into ashes
As if a teardrop off the lashes
A drop of ink falls on the sheet
And I as lonesome as that dot,
A single mark upon the page,
Sit locked inside an opened cage
In endless space can't find my spot
I search but do not see a reason
Why in the amplitude of thought
I cannot write a single word
Why being free I feel imprisoned




Macbeth's soliloquy



A heart will always see the crime
Which is transparent to the eye;
For hearts do know, truth lies in time.
And time will prove that truth does lie,
And words to bind us to our dreams,
Which then, compose the fated plot.
And nothing's ever what it seems,
For nothing is but what is not.
Disgrace does wear a pretty face,
Which I do hate with all my love.
And blood does have that wicked taste
Of which one sip won't be enough.
All sense is lost in reason's battle
In which, uncertainty has won.
And even triumph's overshadowed
By darkened fate of Scotland's throne.
As minutes weave a solid web
To catch the dreamers in their flight,
God, give me room to take a step
To step away and look aside!




The window leaned against the moon...



The window leaned against the moon
To me, today has made no sense
The clocks were running on their hands
They brought black holes into my room
Tomorrow I will be all right
Tomorrow may not come so soon
The bright illusion of the moon
Will slowly fade into the night
For all the worst and for the better
I'll find you beneath my skin
You will eternally glow within
This way we'll always be together
And I shall write another verse
Before this night comes to an end
If I could only hold your hand
We'd put the clocks into reverse
The pale moon would shrink in size
The sun would once again appear
I would wake up and you'd be near
The night would melt inside our eyes




The night walked straight into my house...



The night walked straight into my house
Took off her skin under the light
Upon the chair, she placed her blouse
Jumped into bed, right by my side
And there, in silence, sparks ignited
We burned in passion's warm embrace
And in our bodies, cells collided
And in our minds, thoughts were laced
So sudden, almost on a whim
We fell in love, so wild, thrilling
Fulfilled with pleasure to the brim
We watched the smoke rise to the ceiling
Upon the desk, the candle flickered
From a seductive, tempting breeze
It slowly melted and disfigured
Upon the plate, its wax would freeze
Its shadows danced, but light was fading
Outside, through creaking of the frost
I heard the chilly winds debating
I closed my eyes and all was lost
Woke up alone, half in dismay
I found a note, which read in grieving
«I'm sorry Love, I couldn't stay
I'll make it up to you this evening»




Spring sprung...



Spring sprung so unexpected
From melting snow
I stood in awe
Observed perfection of its flow
So flawlessly performed
Each pitch connected
Played by the notes
Reformed in form
So worthy of great words
And yet neglected
My soul alone became affected
Pecked by the rain
In gained commotion
Grain after grain
I drained emotion
In proper fashion
Gentle motion
In passing rage
And raging passion
Unto the page




Oh, spare me Love...



Oh, spare me, Love! Don't burst inside my chest!
Allow me to distribute what you gave me!
Filled to the brim and stripped of all my rest,
I'm blessed to know that you enslaved me.
Simplicity, how great you've grown to be!
Neither, too plain nor too complex in essence.
How come you chose to show yourself to me,
When millions are craving for your presence?
How come the holiest of churches lack your will?
And purest wine cannot bring out your flavor?
How come the feeling that you make me feel,
Was absent, on Last Supper, from the table?
If so you're willing, do bring forth the cup,
And I shall drink until the final drop!




Forgive me Love...



Forgive me Love for this disgrace
The love I feel is just unheard of
The way I love makes lovers sort of
Appear as lacking love and taste




The moon has spilled the silver flour...



The moon has spilled the silver flour
The pale clouds grimly sneezed
Late August, covered up in mist
Arose from sleep before the cock
Could publicize the needed hour.
Two ashen birches with a twist
Shook off the ravens and the flock
Arose from branches with a holler.
The sultry rays, sprung up askew
Reflecting off the morning puddles.
The grass would gather into huddles
To share the sacred drops of dew.
All was awake and only you
Were still in slumber. Two small shoes
Lay carelessly below your bed.
And to this day, I still regret
Not waking you to see the splendor.
I let you sleep, my precious Muse,
And now in sadness of September
There's nothing there to reproduce.




To February (Dedicated to a close friend on her birthday)



To love and be a poet, -- 'tis a curse! --
To look at her, and what is more to see!
Unable to compose a single verse, --
Oh February, what you've done to me!


You have achieved perfection on this night.
Among the poets born in your embrace,
Victor Hugo and Pasternak have tried
But both fell short of capturing her grace.


Portray her beauty? -- I dare not attempt
To capture what I dream when lacking sleep.
And thus I stand, in silence, in contempt --
Oh, «February -- to get ink and weep...»




As though a tempest tempting vessels...



As though a tempest tempting vessels,
Your eyes in whirlpools submerge
The open field, the school, the church,
Consuming matter, sparing essence.


No poet's words have ever traced
Those eyes as closely as your cup.
Your lips dissolved. In every drop
They left a charming after taste.




A response to R. Frost's «Fire and Ice»



Both ice and fire for destruction,
A man can tame!
Two opposites meet in attraction
As a result of this reaction
The ice would melt and douse the flame!
But if one day it does expire
The world's demise will come from love
Since neither ice nor blazing fire
Can mar enough
To damage more than heart's desire!




Embrace me Silence...



Embrace me Silence! In your presence,
So many poets seek the Muse.
They do not see the simple essence
And take no knowledge from your lessons.
They need the words to share their views.
Just you and I, we smirk with pleasance,--
We understand-- words have no use!




How many nights went by...



How many nights went by
With a pen in constant motion?
With heart expressing its emotion
How many poems did I write
All focused on one notion?


How many people got the meaning
Of words and phrases on the sheet?
Of all the footprints on the street
How many understood my feeling?
How many poems were complete?


How many people read my thoughts?
How many got inside my head?
How much is left unread?
How much was said in simple words?
How much is left unsaid?




True love is missing...



I spoke to her while she was listening
«True love is missing what you have»
First, she responded with a laugh
Then said to me, «true love is missing»


«True love is present when I kiss you,»
I said to her, «Just try to see»
She closed her eyes, then spoke to me
«I hope you know, I truly miss you»