The Dark Veil/To Capitulate

[valis2]

Title: The Dark Veil
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: RL/SS
Summary: Remus knows exactly who he's brought into his bed.
Disclaimer: JKR, Scholastic, and Warner Bros all own the Potterverse. I make no money from this work of fiction.
Warnings: Poetry (set of haikus), angst, slash, but nothing graphic.
Note: Companion poem to "To Capitulate." Both poems form part four of my series of Snupin-themed haikus, but it isn't necessary to read the others first (or at all). Find the rest here: Treachery, Through These Walls, A Taste of Honey. Beta-read by the ever-lovely julian_black.

---

Who are you to say
I am empty? You, hollow
as the shallow grave.

You think you are a
cypher, you wish to be smoke,
cooling as it fades.

I can see the heart
of you, the bitter, bitter
heart, it smolders, chars.

You bite, break your teeth,
the struggle, the clawing--how
dare you mock the wolf

when you are more the
animal. You draw your own
blood, lick 'til it's raw.

The days turn back on
themselves. I feel your tension,
it thrums below skin.

You withdraw, you are
submerged in your wounds, and I
am sublimated.

Haze against the moon.
I smell it. I taste the harsh
rusty iron moon.

Dry panting breaths, loud,
the cell is always too cold,
too clear, barren, bright.

It takes a day, two,
before the stink of fur slips
away. You won't touch.

I must approach you
with milk and fig, bait the trap
and wait, palms open.

Later, when I have
held you (you think that you have
permitted me), when

I have nuzzled you,
your awkward, acrid body,
you will sigh, untie.

You would loathe me if
I said the truth--your heart has
been trapped already,

it is only your
sharp-edged body I must find
again and again.

With eye and tongue and
hand, I have always craved you,
the dark veil of smoke.

---

Title: To Capitulate
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: RL/SS
Summary: Snape hates being in love.
Disclaimer: JKR, Scholastic, and Warner Bros all own the Potterverse. I make no money from this work of fiction.
Warnings: Poetry (set of haikus), angst, slash, but nothing graphic.
Notes: Companion poem to "The Dark Veil." Beta-read by the ever-lovely julian_black.

---

There are days when your
eyes are hollow, when the
stark emptiness in you

overflows, spilling
down to the cracked wooden floor,
until I think I

am crazy to stay,
crazy to leave, cursing my
own mute, stubborn tongue.

A heart beating and
writhing, how I loathe you and
love you, how I wish

you would succumb to
or sever it--I don't want
to share you, ever.

You cajole, you grin,
you feed me sweet lies, but I
know that yesterday

you were not a man.
I can rage, I can break my
own hands against the

bars, but it will not
cease, it tears you away
and leaves me howling.

A night alone, no
stars, only the horrible
smoky moon, it burns.

After, that first touch
grates like rust. The first kiss tastes
of hard, measured pain.

But then your hands, they
promise me things I cannot
bear to hear out loud.

Sharp edges of teeth
on my skin, my ribs. I stay
again and again,

I abide the smell
of fur, I capitulate,
I give in, damn you.

You are just as mad;
I am a bitter shell that
cannot be filled by

kind words or milk, and
you cannot rid me of my
own rooted poison.

Comments

[innerslytherin]

Wow. Just wow. I won't pretend I understand all of it, but for me part of the beauty of poetry is I don't understand it all. *grin* That may make no sense. I feel it, rather than understanding it. Anyway. These two pieces are great, and I love seeing both sides of it.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

;) Sometimes it's tricksy, y'know? I like to have narrative flow in my poetry, but it's hard to submerge it and still have it be completely understandable. I try to at least keep it interesting, and I'm so glad that it still appealed to you, despite its obtuse nature. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!

[innerslytherin]

No, I think obtuse isn't the right word! I think for me, it's more like, that's how I read poetry. (And honestly I don't read a lot of poetry, so I'm not at all in any position to comment with anything other than how a poem makes me feel.) What I mean is, you've really captured feelings and emotion in this poem. And I can't begin to understand everything about their relationship, but I can feel it. It's really hard to explain. But I hope you realise I'm not complaining that it's hard to understand! *L* I think it's gorgeous. (Am I making myself any clearer, or should I shut up and go to bed? LOL)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hee--you're making a lot of sense! I'm so glad that you read it and enjoyed it, as the one thing poetry should do is make you feel something, and it seems to have accomplished this. Thanks so much, sweetie!

[corvus-coronis.livejournal.com]

Wow, you can definitely get the sense of Snape in those thoughts

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yay for Snapey thoughts! Thanks for the comment. ;)

The Last S

[(Anonymous)]

Valis is the story over? You havnt posted a new chapter in months.

I hopoe you decide to continue it as it is very well done.

Re: The Last S

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Is this Se7erus from FA?

I do plan on continuing--and finishing--definitely. I have the next chapter partly done, but everything's on hold at the moment, until I get RL sorted out and I can write an entry for a competition. Once that stuff is out of the way, I'll definitely be writing up a storm--I have the end all plotted out in my head, and I've very excited about it. Glad you like it!

[josanpq.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm. Well, you got me to read these, which is something. Poetry is not my forte...but I will say this; I liked these two. Who knows, you might convert me!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Well, hooray! I love poetry, but there isn't a lot of it in the HP fandom, and I'm always sad about that. I wish more people would write it!

Thanks so much for taking the time to check them out--I appreciate it so much!

[tjwritter.livejournal.com]

*sobs*

I don't know what is sadder, the evident pain of these two characters, or that there are no more haikus!!

Seriously, these are gorgeous! I wish I could better articulate my fascination with what you have done, but words are failing me...

*kicks sad little vocabulary*

You rock!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I don't know what is sadder, the evident pain of these two characters, or that there are no more haikus!!

hee! Wow, what a compliment! Thank you so much!

Seriously, these are gorgeous! I wish I could better articulate my fascination with what you have done, but words are failing me...

I'm totally blushing! You really are the sweetest and kindest to go through these haikus--I love that you're reading them, that makes me so happy!!

There's one last Snupin thing that's kind of similar--it almost became a set of haikus, but then became a pair of ficlets. I linked to it on the last comment, but here it is again...Link here (http://valis2.livejournal.com/206146.html)...it's probably my fave Snupin that I've written.

*hugs* Thank you so much for the comments!!

[tjwritter.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! I have them open right now! In between soliciting bookstores, I am flipping through your fics...it is a lovely distraction...and one I wish didn't have to end so soon...which reminds me, is that long novely story of yours done or a WiP?

Not that I'm stalking you or anything...*shifty eyes*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hee!!! So glad!

The long novel is SS/OFC and it is, sadly, very much a WiP. Though I hope to finish it someday. I have lots of things whirling in my head for that story and I have the ending all worked out! If I can just get through my own roadblocks...