I am a woman
of average brain
given to tiptoe after those of larger breed
watch them e x p a n d images
with the whip of their pen
reach under their paunch
and pull dusty words from the foreign concept of their skin
I've squinted into your poems with conceit
and pretended to pretend I know,
my simple embellishment
a macaroni broach on your silk garments
My neck has craned to find you speaking in tongues
while I sit in an indigo closet
trying your prayer language
on another body
Sometime my arms shake
from holding up such mercurial truths...
the moths of curiosity
having gorged, for hungers sake
.
.
.
(I'm sorry. I pretend to understand sometimes, but I really don't know what the hell you're talking about. I want to. Desperately. But the veil of heady words, the cloak of multiple reference, the way you hide yourself....
I'm just a simple woman, in search of your truth. Lay it out Crayola style, so I can know you!)
.
.
.
Sorry, I don’t know any simple women, and there is nothing simple about these words, though I do enjoy them, and the attempt to plead innocence… I do like this a lot… It may take crayons sometimes though for my average brain…
ReplyDeleteWell done my new found friend. For even I have trouble sometimes with another writer's work...it can be confusing sometimes, even the things I write and come back to later I am like wtf? Though I long to learn as I too am of average mind. IT was a pleasure to meet you and I wish you luck in the rally
ReplyDeleteGlad to meet you.
ReplyDeletelovely portrayal of a female character, it is hard to understand everything, but as long as you are trying, no regret.
stay blessed, happy rally.
That last part, parenthetical, italicized, is what I think, Annie, ever time I read your posts, except I'm a simple man and you damned sure ain't a simple woman.
ReplyDelete- Eric
A woman of average brain spitting such powerful words? Then I guess your definition of average is quite high. I enjoyed the simple complexity of this poem. Well done.
ReplyDeleteBless!
Being just a simple woman is more than enough! Lovely poem! The feelings are strong!
ReplyDeletenice write up. lovely conveying of persona.
ReplyDelete"I'm just a simple woman, in search of your truth. Lay it out Crayola style, so I can know you!"
-- fair enough
Thank you for visiting me and the lovely comment.
ReplyDeleteIt took me many years of sorrow and pain to find what I founf and for you to find what you seek, you have to go deeper than you've ever been before. You have to still your mind until there is no movement in it. One thought, no thought, and then you eventually become at 'one' with everything that you are, and everything that is, and then you see the beautiful light and then you know you are at one with (whom you see as ) God/The Gods.
It's not easy but, we can all do it if we stop rushing to get from A to B and be still.
Good luck.
lol loved it (and agreed ) ! thanks for your kind comment on my submission this week
ReplyDeleteAnthony - Well I have read some far more complex than I. Men as well. I can tell they are brilliant, beyond my scope. And then there is you...brilliantly painting. And she, brilliantly searching. Perhaps we are all brilliant!
ReplyDeleteShoeless - (Love the name BTW)Agreed! Sometimes the alien writer takes over and the next morning I find lipstick on the wall. Did I do that???
Jingle - There is never regret in trying, only in not. Well...there was the time I tried out for cheerleading. I regret that :)
Eric W. - But I'm trying to be so clear :) Commentary is meant to also clarify. I guess my word pictures ain't so good. If only I could paint.
Understanding takes time, that's what i know and time is what exactly all of us need ^^
ReplyDeleteWhat you write very often strikes a cord. I'm often just let thinking, uh huh, that's it.
ReplyDeleteWallowing through abstraction is a constant confusion...and sometimes worthwhile but simple is good!
ReplyDeleteNobody is truly simple, its something we search for, great subject - yes there are always people out there shining brighter or being more obtuse, regularly fail to understand myself or what I've written - but once its written in a way its no longer only mine to know. Thanks for writing
ReplyDeleteSurreal notes...
ReplyDeletexoxooxo
Sometimes there is a beauty in not understanding yet only knowing,slightly what something means. Intrigue and mystery never fails I'd say.But then,I don't think that you are a simple woman.It takes a significantly talented one to produce a piece like this.Excellent work!
ReplyDeletebeautifully worded... definitely not simple :D
ReplyDeletewonderful portrayal of women
Average? You kidding me? Yeah, you're kidding me. Huh .... thought so.
ReplyDeleteI want to know everything and what really frustrates me is that I sometimes forget to look at what is in front of me ... I'm so busy trying to think of delving questions to ask. Ones that will almost without a doubt elicit answers I won't understand anyway. Pass that orange crayon will ya?
xx Jos
There's a really smart young woman I know. Her name is Emily. She will often play dumb, pretend like she doesn't understand; but it's all an act. I ask her: why do you do that? It's good when people underestimate you, she says. I'll say the same thing to you as I do to her: I'm on to you :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a gorgeous write, Annie, full of powerful imagery.
Annie,
ReplyDeletesimplicity is the opal that shines behind every eye..hidden..and you just polished it and gently...very gently placed it on my hand...do i look up now ?? because i'm amazed...
love the craving in this. i can feel it.
ReplyDeleteWhat an engaging and smart penning! truly enjoyed.
ReplyDeletePuplumages is Purvi :)
I am from ~
http://puplumages.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/laments-on-the-loss-of-love/
Ack! Thanks for all the many comments. I can't keep up. I'll hit a few. My apologies. And seriously folks...I took remedial algebra 3 times! I just sound smarter than I should :)
ReplyDeleteJos - Only if you'll pass me the teal. I am so into teal these days. And I'm understanding you more and more as I become UK bi-lingual!! Ha!
Andreas - Eh-hemmmm. I am not playing dumb. There are truly poems I do not understand. I'm at the dictionary looking up words, and still the jist of the thing eludes me. But (shhhhh) I agree with your friend. Better to be underestimated. You can call me out on BS anytime Andreas :)
Manik - What a delightful word gift. Look up, and see my gratitude!
happy rally! I to like the pleading tone in this poem. good write
ReplyDeletea woman of just an average brain cannot be able to write a poem such as this.
ReplyDelete*sometimes a woman has to pretend that she knows and understands even in truth that she doesn't... to avoid arguments sake...
(or just to be mysterious)
Very strong feeling
ReplyDeleteLovely.
Veronica - Being mysterious sounds lovely! The new euphamism for "I dunno" :)
ReplyDeleteMeiro - Thank you for stopping by!
I can very much relate, I don't get all the references either (particularly the Christian ones since I favor Eastern philosophy and many of the literary ones) and I sometimes wonder if my comments make sense at all. I just go with how I felt and interpreted the poem even if I am wrong. If you should ever read any of my poems I'd love to know your interpretations, I really don't care if they match mine.
ReplyDeletethe way you hide yourself
ReplyDeletethey way we hide ourselves happens to be exactly the same way that we reveal ourselves. now, isn't that funny.
i feel much the same as you. and on top of this i feel incredibly insatiable.:)
xo
erin
(Lay it out Crayola style, so I can know you!) I'll need to find out about Crayola style - sounds interesting.
ReplyDeletea macaroni broach on your silk garments
- now I like that, a complex image. You could try 'brooch' - the other spelling - for a ring with macaroni (but that would depend on dialect I suppose.)
the moths of curiosity - what a vivid line!
Lovely, it is. And the picture looks like Paradise.
Harry
Oh, yes, I can relate to this. Sometimes I will read someone's work and want to leave a comment but really don't understand what I've just read and leave scratching my head and shrugging my shoulders.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this--thanks for expressing my sentiments!
I get this. I'm a very simple woman when it comes to writing my poems. No lofty language, no strange references, just simple words that paint pictures.
ReplyDeleteMy poems are pretty straight forward. No guessing or intrepratations necessary. But be forewarned: my poems may make you laugh or cry, feel sad or happy, some are good, some are bad. Some never make it out of my journal.
I liked this one of yours. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't always "get it."
Peggy Nolan
http://serendipitysmiles.com
Happy Rally!
How I know that feeling. Very beautiful, very elegant and amazingly eloquent. I truly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThe Lonely Recluse.
I spent half an hour trying to think of something witty to add and I can't. Holy schlamoley that's good.
ReplyDeletei liked this. and i stole your word :).
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this poem thank you for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteI like this very much. I can relate. Try to keep things simple myself, when I try to be sophisticated it betrays my simpler side. :)
ReplyDeleteHeavy, man.
ReplyDeleteFascinating character sketch! This is one to read over and over to fully understand!
ReplyDeleteSimple thoughts. But humans may perhaps find it too boring. Hence we cloak the simplicity behind fancy. But overdoing it complicates things and tires one, alas the human mind...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! Keep it up:)
I can relate to this piece. I do find some poetry hard to follow than others. I hope that's not the case w/ mine. lol Well expressed write!
ReplyDeletedeep well crafted piece- nicely done!
ReplyDeleteYour words truly gorged upon my heart. And I loved it! :) Thanks
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely NOTHING simple about you...a lot of poets just don't want people to get the true meaning, they want to hold that close to their heart without revealing then they sit back and enjoy the interpretations....I absolutely adore this blog...will catch up one day...
ReplyDeleteSimple? ,,Perhaps,,, Naaaaa, that's Bullshit.
ReplyDelete