I spend my days with people who cannot connect object to word,
word to feeling, feeling to person. Perhaps some if this seeps into me,
perhaps I’ll next be called to mime. What is the motion
for fear – is it crouching, arms braced in front of me, mouth agape?
Is it approaching a large girl with long, knotted hair and then running, silently
screaming? Is it waiting silently beside a silent phone?
My words no longer reach out to anyone. Once they were my outreached hand
that you held. Once, they were a cacoon I wintered in; once, they were my scream.
The mime pulls the rope, back leaning, legs straining, her actions
are convincing, but we are no longer fooled. Did I ever really fool
anyone – this is what I wonder now. This and how to try again,
to lift the rope I cannot see and at least fool myself again.
6 Comments
June 2, 2009 at 11:44 am
of course you still write poetry. you can’t not write poetry. (and we’re all just playing at miming. none of the poem ropes are real.)
hugs!
June 2, 2009 at 11:45 am
if you still write collab poetry, email me, and we’ll start a piece. you know, just in the interest of seeing if you still write collab poetry.
June 4, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Carolee is exactly right. There is always some point every day that I feel like I can’t write anymore.
We’re all miming. That’s what it is.
I’d be interested in a collab too, after your turn with Carolee of course.
June 22, 2009 at 9:13 am
I love the combination of ideas/images here….i like the scream.
I haven’t been writing either. Ugh. I can’t even remember how to critique things….Told a friend though I would write for four hours this week. Quantity not quality. We’ll see how it goes…..
Ugh.
June 22, 2009 at 2:59 pm
You do still write poetry. You just did.
June 24, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Hey everyone. sorry it took me so long to respond. Also, yes and yes to Nathan and Carolee, just drop me a line about collaborating.