Unicorns and Dark Chocolate: The Poetry of Marques Vickers

Marques Vickers’ first poetic edition Unicorns and Dark Chocolate delves profoundly into an exploration of the inspirations behind the ancient concepts of Eros, Aphrodisia and Desire. Over 300+ concise poetical compositions examine the mythological orientations behind personal formation and attitudes regarding sexuality. Vickers composes his verse in bare simplicity, clothed only by his words as covering.

Regarding Abstractive love

i know love
as abstraction
long resolved
abandon is youthful indiscretion
mansions of cards
poised to fall
i offer
less
a lower ceiling
torch in a darkened cave

Vickers observations regarding inspiration and eroticism are capsuled in his work about Pele, the Hawaiian God of Creation:

where the black river flows towards the red sea
this is the cradle of love
love be the bloom that flowers amidst the soul of the wind
elusive to the grasp, pleasing to the taste
injurious to the palette
we seek, we seldom find
what we find exceeds the sought
measure, treasure each mystery
each divided heart
understand, but never are we able
i know of love, i have known love
wiser, but foolishly i still seek
the measure of what i believe
and know love to be

Art is romance, romance is art. His transparency of thought becomes his instrument for transfiguration. His language remains as concise and distinct as his tinted and tainted palette:

i imagine you pensive during your pose
i imagine your own desire surging
do you wonder what passes
through my thought process
while i depict you
i note all
i perceive the rebellious eyelash
unfettered towards abeyance
to the regimented others
i scan the slope and horizon of your cheekbone ridge
sculptured with precision by your creator
the harmonious curvature of woman
as she was intended for display
in all men’s imagination
a sonata of synchronization
dancing and flowing
bathing nude and naturally
as the costume from
which we entered existence

thorough burn

love is a choice reserved for clarity
encircled by the darkest night
commencing its slow fire and thorough burn
emitting openings of flame, pensive reflections
caught are we in webs of attachment,
nooses of emotion
awakening one morning to the realization
our lover is ourself
our union, evolvement of annexation so profound
we breath our lovers breath as our own
lacking you this very moment
aching for the consolation of your touch
well aware that i am myself no longer
but the kindred of our shared souls

Through self-examination Vickers shares his own elemental search amidst the chaos of existence. He summarizes his own investigation process by:

i don’t skim the surface with words
it’s the marrow i carve, probe
the thoughtful inflection
of a mortal wound
the gentle gash
of a slashed artery
the balm of sulphuric acid
it is what art should and rarely pricks
the consciousness of the slumbering mass

Author Marques Vickers re-established his northern California art and creative operations following a five-year residence in southern France between 2005-2009. His figurative painting and sculptural works have been sold and exhibited internationally since 1986 (MarquesV.com). Born in 1957, Vickers grew up in Vallejo, California. He is a 1979 Business Administration graduate from Azusa Pacific University in the Los Angeles area. Following graduation, he became the Executive Director of the Burbank, California Chamber of Commerce between 1979-84. He later served as Vice President of Sales for AsTRA Tours and Travel in Westwood, California between 1984-86. Following a brief residence in Dijon, France, he founded Marquis Enterprises in 1987. His operations included sports apparel exporting, fine wine brokering and travel and tour operations until 2005 and his move to southern France. Returning from his French residence, he began the Marquis Gallery (ArtsInAmerica.com) focused on reselling rare books, collectibles, fine art and wine through online marketplace stores and barter exchanges. The Marquis Gallery publishes eBooks under the website InsiderBooks.com and sold through numerous online bookseller outlets. He has two daughters, Charline and Caroline, both residing in France. BOOKS: Marketing and Buying Fine Art Online, Allworth Press, New York NY (2005) Making Auction Pay, Marquis Publications, Vallejo CA. (2014)