"Those were hard things for me to come by, and I offer them to you for what they may be worth." - Toby Wolff



Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Say Cheese



I am the new person.
I am unknown
shy, even to myself
a mystery
grated.
I am all knuckle and blood
elements or elephants
separated from the room.

Everyone seems to know someone
everyone is met
the couples in step, the children supervised.

In my glass house
a hawk waving with both wings
casts its shadow puppets on my roof...
rabbit to wolverine with the tilt of a feather.

I pantomime,                        
              There is nothing left to shred
as the onion cries out with a chortle of recrimination,
it's many layers mocking.
               We've only glimpsed the Alpha.

I have felt the limitless bottom
and the memory is fresh

Dive anyway.
.
.
.
.

23 comments:

  1. This is written so well. There is a point where we begin to see ourselves more clearly and begin to visualize again with a new perspective, and we start anew, but more experienced.

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    1. Thank you Anthony. Clarity is all I can hope for.

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  2. There ya go. Beautiful rhythm. Nothing left to shred, so all you can do is recreate. How fortunate you are!

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    1. I don't think I got my point across :)
      There is more. I think "Of course there is more". We are never done. I think we recreate, then shred again...each time closer to the dust we came from, until as dust we return. That is not as pessimistic as it sounds. Only to say that we are so much less and also so much more than we ever imagined. In the grand scheme of things we are so small. We need to realize our relevance. Yet, in the micro world of our own skin, I know I am more than I allow and am working on that.

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  3. those last three lines could be a mighty fine poem all on their own. yup. those three lines. i'm sold.

    there is nothing left to shed. it might feel that way but there's a whole lot more present, annie. but perhaps you know this already. i'm going to think you do.

    xo
    erin

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    1. There's always more than the shreds. Exfoliation is a natural and necessary process we push towards, or dive into. Murky, but vital. Thanks Erin!

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  4. Cheese.
    -BT

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  5. Wonderfully-woven piece, Annie.

    I dug "knuckle and blood" and "elements or elephants"

    Great stuff!

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    1. I ran over a dead animal in the road this morning. It was gray, and I didn't see it til it was too late. OMG, the noise! Knuckle and blood...exactly. I'm afraid to look under my car. ICK!

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    2. "knuckle Blood..."

      Band name!!!

      :oD

      ~shoes~

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  6. Beautifully written Annie
    Rabbit

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  7. You know... more often than not, I have some kind of smart assed comment to make.

    This is beautiful, Annie...

    *sighs*

    ~shoes~

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    1. I like the band name. The smart ass is levity, and levity is a nice break.

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  8. Annie,
    Yes dive till the limitless is only a window you pass everyday .....

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    1. That's a nice sentiment. The limitless bottom being a daily view, and thereby just fine...a sunset, a moonbeam, a breath.

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  9. This feels exuberantly, delightfully optimistic. It shimmers.

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    1. Me? Optimistic? Definite progress then. Thanks Kass

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  10. There is a very nice feeling to this one!

    It reminds me of the Tao Te Ching, chapter 20:
    http://terebess.hu/english/tao/gia.html#Kap20

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    1. I was just reading that on your Facebook!

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  11. there are large elements i like, but i think you have to be more focused and flesh out more of what you are attempting to say as you explained to ecogirl. i thought your first graph was the sharpest.

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    1. Ed, I may not respond every time, but I REALLY appreciate your criticism. Thank you for being one who says it straight. No matter that I agree, I value your opinion and it makes me think. We should all cause each other to ponder beyond our scope! Thanks Shutter Bug!

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    2. well, i'm glad we have this sort of relationship:)

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Thank you for listening.