Thursday, November 13, 2008

Iris ( readwritepoem #52)

She talks like one snaps
peas open the innermost
meaning of words.
She desires as others hunger
to satisfy their palate
unprincipled, un-shamefully exulted.
She often forgets that sweaty savor
all those she let in her bed.
Nor man, neither woman : but words
are her lovers she undresses
in a corner of her mind, makes love to,
understands them in the most intimate way.
She braves a world with her words,
her friends, her lovers will never betray
‘till that day she forgot one word,
than another escapes from the void
in her mind. For her, no more words
by the sea she is lost.

11 comments:

Rob Kistner said...

Annamari -

This piece was very gripping to me. It spoke to a place I find myself these days, as time erodes the storehouse of my words, my thoughts. they escape more often now -- very frustrating.

"...no more words
by the sea she is lost."

I hope I never go that far...

Raven's Wing Poetry said...

I second Rob. I hope the day will never come that words escape me forever. Good work.

-Nicole

Ana said...

Rob,Nicole
Part of me is glad that I succeeded to picture the feeling so well…
The other part wishes that it is not going to happen to anyone I know, though it runs in the family…

Now, I always had short-term memory issues, and trying to write in a foreign language does not make it any easier –words betray me all the time. But I am not lost yet.

Anonymous said...

I like the snapping pea pods, and words like lovers. I wistful poem, beautifulflow to the lines.

Anonymous said...

The idea is beautiful and the execution careful and accomplished. You always have a kind of grace and elegance in your ideas and this poem sounds wonderful too. Soon I will be nagging you to podcast some so we can hear you read them.

Deb said...

I adore the first line. I read this several days ago, and needed to have some time and space before coming back, to even *try* to comment. It is chock-full of many great images and lines.

Ana said...

Christine,

Words as lovers: I always imagined that a good writer treats words as they will treat their lover (or even more carefully).
For Iris (Murdoch), I think there was a great deal of passion for life and ideas and words, a sense of exultation one can find in her books.

Deb,
thank you.
She was also a great public speaker, thus the first image.

Paul,
So you know, I practice reading poetry. But I still stutter …

Anonymous said...

I get an image of her losing one word at a time until they're all drowned out by the ocean.

Nicely written to the prompt.

Ana said...

that's an amazing image, words drowning - it is a great compliment. many thanks.

Philip Thrift said...

And what a great presentation of words here.

The line breaks are just
right.

Ana said...

thanks.
I shall try another read out loud to myself...