After the Fire
once-towering ancient wonders
a crumbling cremated scaffold
a disintegrating monochrome
black and ashen bones
charcoal fractals decay
to an oily grey dust
a reservoir of energy to reconstruct
verdant power lies deeply rooted
hidden beneath scorched ruins
in mineral rich darkness
centered and balanced
coiled acid strength
it’s what remains
after the fire
the creative power of her movement
spun out dead cells stretch upward
newborns break the ground
buds dance upon boughs
exposed and pirouetting
a blossom crescendo
it’s what remains
after the fire
creation and evocation of analogs
hatching and fledging, flight
pollination and germination
the life cycle of the wood
it’s what remains
after the fire
From X ... the accompanying AI image was created with grok based on my poetry and the prompt of 'a forest destroyed by fire'. I chose to work from an image that reminded me of the work of Jackson Pollack; to this image of the upright trees, I asked that low red bushes be added and then the Orion Nebula: a winter constellation that symbolizes even in the darkest times if you look to the sky or look close enough, beauty and hope can be found. Finally I added two butterflies, which is becoming a sort of signature for me. Finally, I heightened the image with some editing to make it pop.
Trapped in a Museum
the apparition
nodded her head
glitched
her wax figure
likeness
being dead is freeing
being silenced is a drag
the view from the sweet
ever after, goes on forever
surpasses hindsight
20:20 , dwarfs 360
expands beyond
the cosmonaut's
lofty, concaved
gilded lens
ground control
where are the lines
how are we supposed
to assign color and borders
recognize patriots
immigrants and aliens
distorted by the convex
detailing, bullet-proof
panelling of a 2025
hybrid saucer
everything
blends into itself
diversifies, mounts
towers and looms
crumbles
turns out the ghost
is the liberated visitor
the detached observer
it's the living
who are trapped
in the museum
.
I chose two show the start and finish where this art from this poem began and then ended. No matter what the hype says, AI needs, and will almost, always need a guiding human hand.
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Words and Poetry are my own. Images unless otherwise attributed are a collaboration between me and AI, Grok. They should be viewed visual haiku, in that they contain symbolism. I include multiple images to hint at the process, which can be lengthy at times.The concepts are my own creation and the rendering AI. Keep drawing and painting. AI cannot replace your hard work and excellence. Trapped in a Museum is a reworked poem that most recently reworked for X's VSS365 writing prompt, alien and for showcase here on HIVE. After the Fire is published in Monsters, Avatars, and Angels. All titles below, including Monsters, Avatars, and Angels, represent lengthier works and are available in paperback or digital through amazon and your local libraries and bookstores. Click on any title below to further explore and support my writing.