Thursday, November 08, 2007

Totally Optional Prompt/Poetry

This week's prompt for "Totally Optional Prompts" was evocative poetry.

I read the pieces and for some reason, "The Empty House" resonated with me and brought this to the surface. The other influence on this poem was a line from a fellow poet's work that I blogged about here.






Perfect Bind
for R.

An origami heart, black sheet shining
with creases. Other thumbnails
scored you long before you unfold
to me. When you write, the pen
draws new runnels in your skin, ink
bleeds along the seams. You carve

a path through dark woods,
an allegory for something that glistens
like sap along the inside of your thighs.
You ask me to listen with the patience
of stone. I swallow pebbles until my belly
swells and I carry the fear

like a borrowed fetus. But this
is a story of absolution, the tale
transformed by telling. Tomorrow
the forest floor will be papered
with red leaves cut in the shape
of stars and trees will cast no shadows.

6 comments:

  1. Nice. I like how the last couple of lines bring back the paper imagery of the opening and makes the whole thing seem slightly unreal.

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  2. I am in awe! Very accomplished writing! ~Linda

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  3. Powerful & vivid, driven by some fine imagery.

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  4. LJ,

    Didn't you realize you kept your blog current. many don't. I post on mine every two days or so, You are always welcome. I'll be back.

    Scott

    www.freewebs.com/sthomassummers

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  5. Thank you for your kind comments. This is a different kind of work for me--I tend toward the more linear in my poetry. I'm still working on this and will probably post a revision at some point.

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