Friday, April 27, 2012

X is for...Xenolith by Nora Weston

Welcome to Unwritten's little corner of the the A-Z Blogging Challenge! If you want to see the whole lineup, click HERE!  

I have to commend dear Nora Weston for tackling X. She's written a beautiful poem, so do leave a comment. I'll give her the floor for this introduction:

X marks the spot? X-rays or maybe xylophones could have been my topic for X-day. I considered Xi, which has many meanings, like being a Greek letter and an ancient Chinese state during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, but no…none of those x-words would do. Xylotrya—a genus of marine bivalves and xyridaceae, plants of tropical to temperate regions and usually found in wet places, were also at the top of my list. Then, I came upon Xenolith, which is a piece of rock of different origin from the igneous rock in which it is implanted, and it just sounded right. I did spin this into a science fiction piece, so if it sounds “out there,” that’s why! Thanks to Mysti, I am now aware of many x-words that I never knew existed.

X is for...XENOLITH By Nora Weston


she, with eyes dipped into the Black Sea,
that weep precisely when the mood darkens
possessing watermelon-glossed lips
and locks of midnight shining almost indigo

Buy it HERE!
she looks like me

ivory flesh sculpted upon bones of depravity
pale enough for some to believe
she should not be, should stay beneath
where the bitter cold freezes cryptic dreams

still, she looks like me

who knows when her slumbering
deep within third planet rock, left her
to bake in an epidermis of distant origin
with stolen building blocks of humanity…
Buy it HERE!

heavens, she has become me

to think she is not alone
rather one of a famished multitude
birthed in a core she cares little for
yet, offers a fully stocked refuge

not that I’ll just give up and die

on foreign soil, from a faraway place                                                                                                       
she does not belong, yet is now embedded
forever to hunt my kind as a cruel reminder
of what may hide behind human eyes

 ****
Nora Weston’s fiction and poetry slips in-between and all around science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The most terrifying things Nora has encountered are teenagers...with driving permits, and she’s taught five of these frightening creatures to drive. Her publishing credits include the novels Guardian 2632 and The Twelfth Paladin, plus anthologies, magazines, and e-zines. Themes found in Nora’s work relate to good against evil, Internet safety, the powerful consequences for one’s actions, and the ability we all possess to improve the world. She’s had the pleasure of reaching people through the airwaves on radio stations throughout the US. Currently, Nora’s work appears in Crack the Spine and Bête Noire. Feel free to download previous interviews and segments from Blog Talk Radio’s Not Picture Perfect, plus B.K. Walker has interviewed Nora at Blog Talk Radio as well.

Twitter: almostsanelady

9 comments:

  1. Very much in the spirit of John Carpenter's "The Thing." Something about the fact the horror has perfectly impersonated those around you and it could be any one or more always gave me the willies as a kid.

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  2. Hi, John!

    You make a great point about how the "horror" could be standing right next to you...and you'd have no idea. Sneaky aliens, indeed!
    Thanks for stopping by the X-Post. :)

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  3. I wondered, when Mysti said she was doing this, who would get X and how they would deal with it.
    Well, I am gobsmacked! What a beautiful (and rather disturbing) poem.

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    1. LOL, Jenny! I think xenolith is a really cool word. Here's the link to the image that gave me the idea for the poem. You'll see that the lime-green xenolith looks like an egg...yikes.

      http://www.ees.lehigh.edu/groups/mongolia/galleries/geology/slides/geology0007.JPG

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. That opening stanza grabbed me and I was hooked -- I would read a book about this character portrayed here ....

    I enjoyed your poetic voice

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    1. It's because of beautiful poems such as yours, Nora, that I wish I had the gift of verse. Kudos on all you've accomplished!

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    2. Judy, thanks so much. Your comment has made me think about "her" quite a bit. A short story is brewing...

      Bree: Sweet of you to say that! I wasn't sure how Xenolith would be received. My daughter read it and asked, "Okay, where is my real mom?" lol

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  5. Love the poem, Nora. Truly stunning :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Tara! Thanks for visiting me at Unwritten.
      Have a great weekend! :)

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