Blind Love*** Options

[Psyche]

Before I met you, whirling autumn leaves
had sharp edges, like my mother’s scissors,
the ones she used to snip off puppy tails.
It doesn’t hurt before they open their eyes,
my mother said. What they don’t see, doesn’t hurt.
Blades were red hot from the wood stove.
Squeals were brief, roasty smells lingered,
like smoldering ashes of an erstwhile love affair.

Tails would eye me from the kitchen floor.
And that was that. One day I got the scissors
and cut off my weedy plaits. It didn’t hurt -
my mother was right. I sleep soundly now,
soft velvet leaves whisper to the violet light
about the magic of my new love.

But I’m not convinced, no,
I’ll not blossom like a milkmaid for her prince.
My chapped red hands will drop the pail
and I’ll hide behind this rock, which hears all.
Glued to the cold surface like a snail
to confess my duplicity, as a priest
clasps his hands in the confessional,
disturbed at hardness under purple cloth.

You’ll find me there, on the good rock.
You’ll follow my trail of gummy fluid
and say: Come on down, I love you, horns and all!
Careless angels might weep icicles.
Winter snips pieces off our hearts,
summer softens them into blood sausage.
By fall crows will have eaten the leftovers,
picked clean arteries and valves.

Love’s artisan forever chisels
our stalwart hearts. I’ll astound you with
my faithfulness. Eyes alight when you come
in the front door, bending your back to pat the dog,
I’ll sing my love for you… powdered
papery skin, penciled thick red
line around my mouth. I’ll not be defeated
like the carpet, wagging its sorry tails.
I’ll love you blindly, as does your docked hound.



Sylvia Evelyn, Bariloche, Argentine Patagonia. 2016

[Eisa]

Wow! Syl! Is this the poem you told me about It certainly held my interest all through. I think it will take a few reads to absorb it all - and its metaphors.
I cringed at the mother cutting off puppies tails, but it happens. I like the line

'Tails would eye me from the kitchen floor'

but don't think you need the following phrase 'And that was that'

I love that the girl cut off her plaits to see if it hurt.

And the endings return to the carpet wagging its sorry tails and his docked hound.

As I said there is a lot to delve into here - I'll be back!

Eira

[Peterpan]

Wow how amazing is this?

I need to read it a few times.

So rich in imagery!

WONDERFUL!

Hugs, Bev

[Psyche]

Sorry I've been absent a few days, Eisa. Still haven't found a suitable computer. Not a lot of money to spare! And today I got total fatigue, all day!

Yes, this poem is not new, but it's the one I'd mentioned. I don't think I ever posted it anywhere.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Yes, I cringe just to think about cutting puppies' tails off. But that was done frequently about 30 years or more ago, especially with certain breeds. And if one lived out in the country, there were no vets to sterilise pets, so that meant loads of unwanted puppies and kittens...Sad. Owners did away with them in various ways, which I shall not mention, but still remember...

Thanks so much for your suggestions. How're you feeling with the Brexit issue?!
My brother voted Remain, but he doesn't seem too worried about the future. He says the dust will eventually settle...but tell that to the thousands of poor and hungry people.
We've got a Liberal president now. He's taking tough austerity measures, same as David Cameron did. But the corruption of the last 14 years is really to blame for our economic situation. Dozens of people will be going to jail, some already have. Even our last president might be jailed, but at least the judicial system is doing things properly and nobody will be persecuted unfairly.

Hugs, Syl

Wow! Syl! Is this the poem you told me about It certainly held my interest all through. I think it will take a few reads to absorb it all - and its metaphors.
I cringed at the mother cutting off puppies tails, but it happens. I like the line

'Tails would eye me from the kitchen floor'

but don't think you need the following phrase 'And that was that'

I love that the girl cut off her plaits to see if it hurt.

And the endings return to the carpet wagging its sorry tails and his docked hound.

As I said there is a lot to delve into here - I'll be back!

Eira

[Psyche]

Surprise, surprise, Bev!
How nice to receive your visit. Do come and post or comment more often. Things are very slow. A pity.

Yep, I never posted this poem anywhere, as I myself think it's rather strange. But as nobody but Eisa and Larry are coming here, I thought I'd throw it in...LOL.

I suppose "amazing" is OK. Tx!!

Hope you're fine and doing some travelling, Bev.
Have fun, hugs,
Syl

Wow how amazing is this?

I need to read it a few times.

So rich in imagery!

WONDERFUL!

Hugs, Bev