[This poem showcases several of Barbie Angell’s strengths: the surreal personification, the wry humor & use of rhyme, & her always intriguing Chaplinesque, wittily forlorn narrator. The structure, which alternates limerick stanza with a four line stanza also is handled nicely—enjoy!]
“You are where you are”
My personality lives in the medicine chest,
my integrity lives in the bar.
My cynical side
has tortured my pride,
my anger’s wherever you are.
Curiosity died as a kitten,
and my glass is only half there.
‘Cause no matter how much I am smitten,
my heartache will always appear.
Who’s writing the movies I see in my dreams?
Who let them run free in my brain?
They leave me confused,
like I’m being used,
I no longer come in from the rain.
My soul has decided he’s quitting.
He’s leaving tomorrow at noon.
So I’m left in my mind simply sitting,
hoping a new one comes soon.
Barbie Angell
© 2009-the present
I enjoyed the alternating rhythms of this one. A clever line that stood out for me was "Curiosity died as a kitten" and I loved the power of "My cynical side/has tortured my pride/my anger's wherever you are." Using "he" to refer to the soul in the last stanza surprised me, but then why couldn't it be a "he" even if the speaker I take it is female? It's an interesting idea, different parts of you made up of different genders, which reinforces the idea that they can all separate from each other and go on strike or hide out in the medicine cabinet, because there isn't one unified homogeneous whole.
ReplyDeletethank you hkatz, i always enjoy the way you perceive things. : ) i also love the "curiosity died as a kitten" line myself. i think your take on the male soul is a good one. i've never really tried to put into words why i choose different genders for different pieces or roles. sometimes it's one of those secret writer things where i'm actually referring to someone in particular & sometimes it just feels right. thanks again. : )
ReplyDeleteThanks, HKatz! & thanks as always Barbie :)
ReplyDeleteI love the part about the soul; I think my favorite line, which I find extremely witty is "my glass is only half there."