Prompt: In the world of well-known poems, maybe there’s no gem quite so hoary as Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem about your own road not taken – about a choice of yours that has “made all the difference,” and what might have happened had you made a different choice.
When people talk about how useless the arts are, I tell them that their so-called 'useless' arts literally saved my life. I might have made the choice, but the arts were what made all the difference in the end. Things could have turned out very differently on multiple occasions, but I'm glad they didn't, when all's said and done.
DAY 2: CHECKPOINT, INTERRUPTED
Ever since the monster left and you stood in a dark kitchen, words juddering
in your mouth that wanted to be spoken but lost definition and
slipped out in howling vowels, all consonants gone
it’s been there -
that translucent doorway in the shape
of a stained white plastic chopping board raised like a shield
kitchen knife gripped in the nerveless fingers of your shaking hand
nothing but darkness beyond and the bone-white girl lying
on her bone-white slab, wings folded over her face
promising rest.
Since then you’ve tried to go through repeatedly but each time
your hand grasps for the handle -
the knife, the pills, the fall that will open the door at last
flaming angels bar the way:
St. Edward Watson wearing the ghost of Crown Prince Rudolph
chasing the spectre of Mary Vetsera
St. Xiao Zhan singing shooting stars into the night
St. This St. That, faces blurred like time
arms outstretched, Gandalf to the Balrog that wears my shape
and has stolen my eyes
saying no no you shall not pass.
7 comments:
You haunt me with this one!
You have a knack for writing with great urgency on the days that aren't your favourite days to be alive.
"St. This St. That, faces blurred like time
arms outstretched, Gandalf to the Balrog that wears my shape
and has stolen my eyes
saying no no you shall not pass."
A really strong ending, Shuku. Gandalf facing the Balrog is one of my favorite (terrifying but favorite) scenes in the LOR trilogy, and your take on it shook me. We are all Gandalf facing the Balrog.
Shuku! That ending! Yikes! (In other words, well done.)
Vivid and also strong and decisive. (K)
What a powerful imagery!
Absolutely agree with all the others about the power of this piece and particularly the final stanza. Also adore "words juddering / in your mouth" - the line break really works there to convey the gap between desire to express and ability to express. And I love the stained white plastic chopping board. This everyday item reminds us that this level of pain exists in the everyday, and every day. I admire the way you dive into deeper, weightier subject matter than a lot of us are brave enough to approach (especially during napowrimo).
Ohh, I'm really happy for you. You found the way. This is urgent and a proof in itself.
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