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Black and Light

The solitary flame's flicker has gone out
here I stand, shrouded in silent darkness,
the blind man no more,I think see much better now
doesn't it sound absurd,this ironic prowess?

The burning embers of the past settle softly on the floor
forming a black carpet silhouetting buried memories,
the acrid air around me burns my eyes ever more
I feel a stream of black in my swollen arteries

Now I'm trying to seek tranquility in solitary madness
I'm learning to balance the scales and find equilibrium,
No testaments to assure me that I'll get through unscathed
these superfluous scars I'll heal,with truth as my numbing opium

The solitary flame's flicker has gone out
here I stand, warped in static space and time
but I'll dust off all those clinging fears and doubts
don't need an artificial flame,I'll make my own sunshine

Posted in Lyrics.



14 Responses

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  1. Bad Angel says

    ” feel a stream of black in my swollen arteries” —> I liked this line!

  2. Lissome Lady says

    Now let me tell you what I liked. :) the clever metaphysical irony of sight in a dark room - superb! black carpet silhouetting buried memories - awesome! silent darkness, burning embers, acrid air, warped in static space and time - a wonderful mix of traditional and out of box images there. the build up of positives in ” Im trying… Im learning… Ill heal …Ill dust off… and Ill make in a nice crescendo. Work a lil bit on this and it will be a masterpiece. God bless. LL

  3. Lissome Lady says

    It’’s easy to say its beautiful which it is…but shall I be critical? ” feel the stream of black (from the embers?) in my swollen arteries”. No does not jell.. the word arteries there is too raw sudden and does not flow with the earlier images that are soft and smouldering.. the scars again cannot be superfluous .. the embers have just died..and truth is never a numbing opium but its a mocking pain.. again the last two lines” but ill dust off the clinging fears and doubts.. is an air metaphor which you have suddenly brought in from the fire one of earlier on… does not sit well…the words dust off have the connotation of light and unused and this is not the case you have tried to make. ill make my own sunshine is a positive and determined line… but at this point are u in a frame of mind for this? isnt it too early? btw i teach criticism so dont be offended arun by what I write.. ponder awhile on my words.. feel free to disagree… you are talented without a doubt:)

  4. shivani narula says

    simple beautiful portrayal..a black cloud with silver lining…

  5. Beyond Horizon says

    beautiful language and great style… as usual….

  6. Arun Ramkumar says

    thanks john…

  7. john sudhakar says

    great wordscape!

  8. Arun Ramkumar says

    thanks Iris….

  9. Indigo Iris says

    wow….loved this one….for its imagery & for the hope that shines thru the pain…

  10. Arun Ramkumar says

    thanks Padmanabhan.. I think :)
    well in my case the scars were caused by my illusions.. I was seeing wrong…seeing the truth in time can be a numbing opiate.. its when you see the truth after its too late does it turn out to be a killer..

  11. Padmanabhan says

    these superfluous scars I’ll heal,with truth as my numbing opium

    Truth has always been seen as brutal reality, or an awakener. Your imagination of using it as a numbing opium………. . Well why not? Reality to shield against reality. Truth to opiate against the truth. Wow?
    padmanabhan

  12. Arun Ramkumar says

    thanks Sid and Jayalakshmi….

  13. Siddarth-The Corsican says

    but I’ll dust off all those clinging fears and doubts
    don’t need an artificial flame,I’ll make my own sunshine…

    Amazing…

  14. Jayalakshmi Srinivasan says

    Melancholy and beautiful…I love the sound of hope in the last line.