Through the four stages of this verse cycle the poet takes us on the journey of a soul that has returned to earth to review its life 'in a short space of time'. It is a moving and mystic journey, a story told and a collection of poetry at one and the same time.
"I hear you breathe unsleeping in the unquiet grave of night. I meet you walk unthinking in that deathful house, deprived of sight. Do not wait an instant longer, dispel the darkness, part this day - leave this mansion far behind and enter empires of supernal light - ." Adam Pathos
About this Volume: This 3rd Edition of Adam Pathos's 'In a Short Space of Time' is the 'White Edition', the way that the poetry first appeared in 1998. Published originally as the separate poetry collections 'Even We Are in Arcadia', 'Unborn Tomorrow' and others (1997-1998), the poetry in this verse cycle has been in print for over two decades and it has not stopped attracting new readers. Both romantic and anti-romantic at the same time, infused throughout with the spirit of philosophy, this is a 'Verse Cycle' that tells the story of a soul requiring to be returned to earth to relive its life and all the thoughts and feelings it experiences. Is it Reincarnation or 'Eternal Return'? - that is for the reader to decide. Includes full textual annotations of foreign words and phrases used. The text is laid out exactly as in the 1st edition.
The Structure of this Work: Perhaps the best way in which to convey the essence of this 'Cycle of Verse' is by presenting its structure and contents, from which the prospective reader will be able to see if the titles and the layout of the work appeal to him or her. It contains 34 poems, in the following order:
§0 "You I do not know" bk i en recherche de la lumière (in search of light) §01 I hear the sleepers sleeping / §02 the breath of a poet / §03 beyond the Beyond / §04 unborn tomorrow / §05 no more plastic roses / §06 "avoid this love" / §07 yours ever / §08 Stillness Road bk ii the book of fate (memories of the future) §01 Metropolitan Junction / §02 "You have been mine before" / §03 absinthe in absentia / §04 american roulette / §05 the fall of the Arcturian / §06 memories of the future / §07 the signature of nature / §08 Tat Tvam Asi bk iii in a short space of time §01 the Great Bear of the North / §02 "love me when I die" / §03 bard of the south / §04 in the afterlight / §05 flowers of the past / §06 avoiding the inevitable / §07 You am I / §08 "missa olet Iso Karhu?" bk iv the Sacred Mountain §01 halls of darkness / §02 the Ascent / §03 silent light / §04 the stone mirror / §05 Sun in Our Eyes / §06 Sat Chit Ananda / §07 "even we are in Arcadia" / §08 panopticon § 00 in a short space of time
Extract 1: "You I do not know"
You I do not know I want to see Your face You I do not know now far removed from here
You have never been other than You and I have never been other than me I am
alternative visions of thousands of dozens of different things
will Your body return through this door or is all time a myth
Extract 2: (from 'Love Me When I Die')
Love me when I die I shall be near love me when I die I am not far from here
amethystine sapphire resting on Your chest - a pendulum of stone caressing flesh
sapphire my companion give her life to give her back to me sapphire my companion give her love to bring her here to me
I love You when I die I shall be near I love You when I die I’ll be not far from here”
immortal souls are ever young for spirits never age.
A Special Book: A one-of-a-kind volume of poetry that has the power to move to tears and to make a person dream the dreams they have never allowed themselves to. Written over twenty years ago the poetry reads as fresh as if it had been written today. It is romantic and anti-romantic, serious yet never taking itself too seriously as to allow for no humour. A special book of poetry