Such a great choice of word. I had to look it up but when I did it is very specific an most appropriate.

Thanks for the lesson and the enjoyable poetry.
Tim

I know of Baudelaire, his Poems that were banned from public consumption, he was ahead of his time and was born too early imo, born later he may have faced less criticism and celebrated, I thought the reference to a french hell was the perfect nod to him.

From the dreaming minds of lovers
Deferred to the enfer of utter night

Is your reference to our Lady of the Flowers a reference to Jean Genet? Because I know of a few references to that line but to me that spoke of another French connection.

Magnificent well done!!

Love Jayne

you are an eloquent poet who writes with much elegance. I love your poems because they teach me things I would not have learned on my own (it is most likely) I so love your language usage!

*hugs, Cat

Dearest Poet , J
This wonderful piece sent me googling as so often happens , I learn so much as well as getting so much enjoyment from your writings , it is so interesting that there was actually a Catholic ban on books deemed unsuitable reading that lasted into the 60s or 70s and that the French set up their own such list called Enfer meaning Hell, I enjoy the way the poem is set as a conversation between lovers , the books on this list apparently included Lady Chatterleys Lover and works by Baudelaire and Genet{Lady of The Flowers} books deemed explicit and about subjects like prostitution so unsuited for Catholics and French .
The poem while dealing with the matter of the banned books reads as a love poem , a lover being able to gaze into the mind of the other and seeing it holding a fascination for these banned books perhaps especially interested in them because they are banned .The word cocoon is interesting here it became the word for protecting the elderly and vulnerable during the pandemic and as such means so much more than it would have previously .I think how you have a lover reading the others mind is a part of the underlying belief you have that runs through your poetry lovers can only be lovers when deep understanding exists and mind reading surely involves a deep understanding , love is the real power in the universe .
The second verse starts with a sensual intimate piece as if making love while pondering what can be done with all the lovers poems held in the Enfer of his mind when the lover is gone .The final verse looks at how in the love poems of the Gods the desire was having loved the lovers would happily die in each others arms and the question remain why should this not be the way ,
The poem is a beautiful write distilling thought on the banning of books through an intimate lovers conversation , such is their emotional , physical and artistic connection that words are superfluous , their thoughts on the banning of works of literature communicated literally by being so connected they can mind read . The banning of any literature in an attempt to control access would as I see it be contrary to all your beliefs in justice and freedom but instead of writing an openly negative piece on the Enfer you intertwined your thoughts into a love poem where sharing your thoughts with your beloved became an intimate experience ,expressed as always so eloquently and with class , your belief that deep understanding is a prerequisite for love and that love is the true power in the world all comes to the fore in how you create this piece .Your belief that all writing is for the enjoyment and enlightenment of all plays into the belief that the Enfer to control the reading choices of many was restricting freedoms of many to enlightenment through reading .
Another enlightening , . awesome piece of writing , informative on an Enfer I knew nothing about ,while also dealing with the elements of deep love and understanding and how only such depth of understanding and communication can be real love , without such, love cannot exist only lust .
Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonderful piece that delights ,it made me use my brain I have learned , it touched my senses with your deep intimate conversation and I loved the sensuality added as part of the depth of the connection between lover and beloved .
You are an awesome writer and as always any thing misconstrued by me will be edited etc .
Loved it, the topic , the language , the emotion, the sensuality ,the underlying messages of maintaining freedoms and the power of love .

There ends my rant
Thank you my precious friend J for writing and gifting the world your art
Love M x

Reading you I now learnt
what in hell enfer means
Pardon my ignorance
all Neos bow to thee
now incl me