(largely because writing poetry when hormonal (tmi sorry) is a very bad idea)
“Where are we going?”
“Shh they’ll hear you.”
“Who’ll hear me?”
“I swear to gods, if you don’t shut up, I’ll knock you out and drag you the rest of the way.”
I hadn’t asked for this. I was just a freaking waitress. No one had ever said, “Hey Celeste, would you like to be dragged on a surreal adventure and fight for your life?” I’m pretty sure I would have said no. Waitressing certainly wasn’t my ideal life and sometimes I piled on blankets instead of turning on the heat, but I got food at the café and I went to bed every night pretty sure I’d wake up the next morning. Now I was running down this damned corridor with some weirdo wondering what the hell had happened.
Drew banged on a door. “Whatever it takes,” he shouted. The door opened and he ushered me in.
“Whoa.” I can be pretty freaking eloquent sometimes.
We were inside what I guessed to be the basement of, well, some building but the people here had set it up completely military bunker style. Maps were strewn on tables, people hunched over them, groups of people were playing cards, a somewhat frazzled looking couple of people were running around dishing up random food. Drew walked directly a table where a couple men were looking over what appeared to be blueprints. The men looked up at him, glanced at me, turned back to Drew.
“Who the hell is she?” Bushy-beard man did not looked pleased at my presence and I stared at the floor.
“She’s um, well,” Drew looked at me. “It’s hard to explain, I think we need to talk in private.”
“Drew, we don’t have time for games,” spectacles man had a very educated sounding eloquence to his speech that somehow made him more intimidating than Bushy-beard.
“Good, I’m not playing any.”
“Let’s go to the back.” Spectacles looked at me. “Don’t touch anything. Please.”
I nodded and watched the three of them walk into a corner partitioned by a curtain. The fabric was heavy enough to muffle their actual words, but I could tell who was talking when and from the sound of it Bushy-beard was being stubborn, Spectacles was skeptical, and Drew was somewhat frustrated. Not that I knew what he was explaining, I just knew I was tired. I sat down on an upturned crate and rubbed my temples.
“Heya.”
I looked up and a young woman close to my age was staring down at me with a bowl and wooden spoon in hand.
“You want a bite to eat? Yeh look a mite hungry.”
“Oh, I’m uh, well, I guess I am.”
She pulled a mug from seemingly nowhere, spooned in a bit of the stew and handed it to me.
“Thank you.”
“Welcome. Where’d yeh come from then?”
“Drew brought me.”
“Drew? Where’d he find yeh?”
“I waitress at the Greasy Old Spoon.”
“Yeh waitressed yeh mean. Not no more. Sounds like an unappetizing place anyway. Eat the stew.”
I awkwardly half-drank half-ate some of the stew. “Wow!”
“Damn straight.” She started to walk off.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“Annapurna. It means bestower of food in Sanskirt Yeh can call me Anna though.”
“Thanks Anna.”
She walked off. Just in time too, Drew emerged from the partition followed by a grumpy looking Bushy-beard and concerned looking Spectacles. He motioned to me and I went over to meet them by the table.
“Well,” Spectacles peered into my eyes in a sort of creepy psycho-analysis fashion. “We have some testing to do.”
“Uhm.” Again, I displayed my vast intelligence and mastery of the English language.
“Don’t worry, I don’t expect you know of what I speak.”
“Hey good, because I don’t.”
“Celeste!” Drew looked like he was about to die of embarrassment.
Spectacles actually smiled, “It’s alright. Walk with me will you Celeste?”
“No.”
“Excuse me?” He frowned slightly.
“I don’t know you. I just met Drew, I mean seriously? I showed up for my shift this morning – do you really think I dress like this for fun? – I’m serving Drew his breakfast number five, and the next thing I know, fire is falling from the freaking sky, Drew’s shouting something about ‘the one’ and then we’re running. The one what? The one freaking day the world ends? What is going on?”
“You.”
“I what?!”
“Are the One.”
“The one what? The one really confused waitress? Freaking a people, quit talking in code!”
“The one to… save us.”
“We don’t know for sure,” interjected Bushy-beard.
“Thank you Ondrej, I know that. But the signs are good.” Bushy-beard, Ondrej, looked unhappy.
“Rewind. Save who from what now?”
“The books tell of an end, but from the end comes a new beginning, and the One leads the way to that beginning.”
“What books?”
“The books. The ancient books.”
“Like prophecies?”
“Yes…” Spectacles hedged for a moment. “That just seems so clichéd. And really, the books are more like points of reference than exacting predictions. So the details can be-“
“Sketchy?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
“But the books tell of the One, a woman, who possesses the ability to lead her people to a new beginning.”
“Okay, so two problems with that. One, I don’t have any abilities except I make a mean black coffee. Two, why do we need a new beginning? The world’s not that bad.” I thought Spectacles was going to choke. Ondrej turned pale at my words and Drew sighed audibly.
“Celeste,” Drew looked at my pointedly. “You said yourself you thought fire was falling from the sky.”
“Oh yeah. That.”
Spectacles sat me down on another crate and sat across from me. “Celeste, sometime before you were born, nations owned their own armies. There was still war, of course, and it was terrible, and some countries were in very bad shape. Some countries though weren’t quite so bad off. At least, certainly not in retrospect. Some countries were rich and people were happy, relatively speaking. But then the rich governments realized that they weren’t actually rich, it was all a façade of sorts. Not to mention that interfering in other countries’ business became both politically incorrect and necessary. You can see the problem there of course – a definite contradiction in terms. So the governments began privatizing the militaries. Armies were bought and sold like any sort of good. You can imagine though that, while okay at first, this soon led to very rich, very evil people being also very powerful.”
“Um, hey, that’s life.”
“That’s life as we know it, that’s life as you have always known it. But try to imagine that it wasn’t always that way. Try to imagine life without fear of suddenly having your door banged down and being dragged out of your house and informed it was no longer your house.”
“That only happens in big cities. That’s why I live in the freaking boonies. No one wants my little hole of a house.”
“Celeste, please stop being so argumentative,” Drew suddenly looked tired.
“She’s the one ain’t she?” Anna had reappeared from nowhere. “If she weren’t argumentative what good would she be?”
“Anna, no one has said she’s the one.” Spectacles spoke sharply. I wondered how Anna looked so nonplused.
“Oh Sul, yeh needn’t say nothin’ ‘t all to me.” Anna waved her wooden spoon at him. “Yeh can see it in her face. In her eyes. In her bein’. Yeh really think I can’t see it? Yeh’re a fool.” And off she went with an exasperated gesture of her spoon.
Spectacles looked tired again. I wondered if these people ever looked youthful and energetic. I guessed it must be exhausting to be trying to find someone to save the world.
“Anna’s right,” Drew finally said. “Anyone can see it.”
“We still have to test her.” Spectacles was firm in his decision.
“Uhm, test how exactly?”
“Sullivan will explain it in more detail tomorrow.” Drew took my hand. “I think maybe some rest is in order.” He looked pointedly at Sullivan who gestured us off with his glasses and rubbed his temples. I remembered doing the same thing just a moment earlier. I had a feeling that would be happening more and more as this whole endeavour progressed.
All works are the intellectual and artistic of property of Londyn J A Korol (née Barrett). Plagiarism is a crime. "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." I'm muddling my way through this craft and I'm happy to muddle with you. Let's muddle together.
14 mars 2008
06 mars 2008
Terms of endearment
Have you ever wondered what it's like inside my mind? It's a scary place. And sometimes when I'm thinking about people and I let my mind go, absolutely nothing makes sense and my brain goes nuts with wordplay. By itself. Also, this is why I don't use pet names beyond "m'dear" and "m'darling". I'll shut up now and let you read whatever the heck this is that just came out rather stream of conscious. No joke, this is straight from brain to paper. Please don't call the men in white coats...
Terms of Endearment
I'd call you up my dear,
now that I'm awake
shaken by ache...
Shake 'n' bake?
I'm kidding, kiddo,
I just thought of you --
you crossed my mind
blindsided by a sign.
My words keep twisting sweetie,
I can't think…
need a drink, I'm on the brink.
I'm sorry darling,
in fact it's your fault,
this assault,
on my clear thinking.
I try to talk, cupcake,
but my slurred words
can't be heard.
It doesn't matter, honey bun,
bawl like a squall,
but I won't actually call
you, Baby.
Terms of Endearment
I'd call you up my dear,
now that I'm awake
shaken by ache...
Shake 'n' bake?
I'm kidding, kiddo,
I just thought of you --
you crossed my mind
blindsided by a sign.
My words keep twisting sweetie,
I can't think…
need a drink, I'm on the brink.
I'm sorry darling,
in fact it's your fault,
this assault,
on my clear thinking.
I try to talk, cupcake,
but my slurred words
can't be heard.
It doesn't matter, honey bun,
bawl like a squall,
but I won't actually call
you, Baby.
05 mars 2008
1 month exactly
I have no excuses. Here, have a poem. Unedited as per usual.
Contradictory
Please go away
because I really want you here
Wanting is weakness
Proof in alliteration
Love is loss
You see? It always works.
Please don't touch me
because I really want you to hold me
Physicality is frightening
The rhythm of my adjectives
Terrible tactility.
Do not argue with my illogicality
because I want to be wrong
Contradictory
Please go away
because I really want you here
Wanting is weakness
Proof in alliteration
Love is loss
You see? It always works.
Please don't touch me
because I really want you to hold me
Physicality is frightening
The rhythm of my adjectives
Terrible tactility.
Do not argue with my illogicality
because I want to be wrong
05 février 2008
How did I get behind again?
I don't actually have anything today, I don't know, maybe my muse is on vacation. Here is a hysterically funny rhyming "rapping" comedian for your viewing pleasure until I get back in writing mode. Good thing I don't do this for a living!
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c4a43aff11
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c4a43aff11
10 janvier 2008
I got bored trying to write poetry
(so I wrote some random prose. No rhyme, no reason, just unfiltered brain to fingers)
“We were in the water. It was dark and I remember" [I remember!] the Christina Aguilera song pops into my head. Ugh. I was not a fighter at that moment. "I remember trying to swim, but it was so dark. I kept thinking how maybe if I drowned I’d be warm. I know I splashed about for a while longer, my head was getting very heavy and I couldn’t remember exactly which direction I was supposed to be swimming." [just keep swimming, just keep swimming] But I didn’t feel like Dory "and so I sort of paused. And that’s the end of the memory.”
“I see, and you don’t remember anything after that?”
“Well sure. I remember waking up in the hospital and I was totally freaked out. I remember ripping out the IVs and I guess one of them must have had me connected to a heart monitor because that flat lined. And I was confused, thinking that the flat line meant I was dying you know?”
“Mhmm. Do you know why you were, as you say, freaked out in the first place? When you woke up?”
“Well, hospitals kind of freak me out" [she’s a superfreak, superfreak] "in general. People… die in them.”
“Did you know someone who died in a hospital?”
“Hey doc, I gotta run" [and the bass keeps runnin’ runnin’ and runnin’ runnin’] "but we can keep revealing all my inner secrets next session okay? My insurance says I can have a few more.”
“That sounds fine.”
“Okay, sure thing doc, ciao.”
I had never been so glad to leave a session since the boating accident. I swear he doped the air vents or something. My brain felt like I was cracking out, turning my words into songs and the next thing I know I’m about to reveal that she died in her hospital with the doctor just watching. Damned doctors, they don’t really know what they’re doing I think. Or she wouldn’t have died.
I grabbed a bus to the grocery and picked up a giant steak, a loaf of bread, and some ice cream. The stock girl looked horrified by my cart so I threw in some frozen vegetables. My eating had really gone down the drain since her death. She didn’t cook so much as she magically put food together. I don’t think I ever actually saw her look in a cookbook, just threw stuff into pots and pans and we had dinner. No meat back in those days, I don’t enjoy it as much now, but I keep trying. The doc said eating meat again might help me move on. Mostly it just makes me nauseated.
I went to unlock the apartment door but it gave when I touched the door handle. I threw the bag to the side and reached for my gun. Damn! In the car. I grabbed the frozen steak, desperate times. I threw open the door and was all adrenaline ready to beat the crap out of whoever was in the place. I dropped the steak. I swayed. She turned around.
“A steak? Honey, I thought you were adapting to vegetarian meals.” She looked disappointed. “Well, that’s okay, I guess, well, I don’t know how to cook it, but if you really want it tonight you could just eat the vegetable dish as a side.”
Then I’m pretty sure I said something like, “Huh buh buh muh, wha?”
“We were in the water. It was dark and I remember" [I remember!] the Christina Aguilera song pops into my head. Ugh. I was not a fighter at that moment. "I remember trying to swim, but it was so dark. I kept thinking how maybe if I drowned I’d be warm. I know I splashed about for a while longer, my head was getting very heavy and I couldn’t remember exactly which direction I was supposed to be swimming." [just keep swimming, just keep swimming] But I didn’t feel like Dory "and so I sort of paused. And that’s the end of the memory.”
“I see, and you don’t remember anything after that?”
“Well sure. I remember waking up in the hospital and I was totally freaked out. I remember ripping out the IVs and I guess one of them must have had me connected to a heart monitor because that flat lined. And I was confused, thinking that the flat line meant I was dying you know?”
“Mhmm. Do you know why you were, as you say, freaked out in the first place? When you woke up?”
“Well, hospitals kind of freak me out" [she’s a superfreak, superfreak] "in general. People… die in them.”
“Did you know someone who died in a hospital?”
“Hey doc, I gotta run" [and the bass keeps runnin’ runnin’ and runnin’ runnin’] "but we can keep revealing all my inner secrets next session okay? My insurance says I can have a few more.”
“That sounds fine.”
“Okay, sure thing doc, ciao.”
I had never been so glad to leave a session since the boating accident. I swear he doped the air vents or something. My brain felt like I was cracking out, turning my words into songs and the next thing I know I’m about to reveal that she died in her hospital with the doctor just watching. Damned doctors, they don’t really know what they’re doing I think. Or she wouldn’t have died.
I grabbed a bus to the grocery and picked up a giant steak, a loaf of bread, and some ice cream. The stock girl looked horrified by my cart so I threw in some frozen vegetables. My eating had really gone down the drain since her death. She didn’t cook so much as she magically put food together. I don’t think I ever actually saw her look in a cookbook, just threw stuff into pots and pans and we had dinner. No meat back in those days, I don’t enjoy it as much now, but I keep trying. The doc said eating meat again might help me move on. Mostly it just makes me nauseated.
I went to unlock the apartment door but it gave when I touched the door handle. I threw the bag to the side and reached for my gun. Damn! In the car. I grabbed the frozen steak, desperate times. I threw open the door and was all adrenaline ready to beat the crap out of whoever was in the place. I dropped the steak. I swayed. She turned around.
“A steak? Honey, I thought you were adapting to vegetarian meals.” She looked disappointed. “Well, that’s okay, I guess, well, I don’t know how to cook it, but if you really want it tonight you could just eat the vegetable dish as a side.”
Then I’m pretty sure I said something like, “Huh buh buh muh, wha?”
07 janvier 2008
A second one today!
(for kicks I wrote a second one. I stole some lines from songs I was listening to on loop - haha - and then added a few of my own for giggles I guess, also to cement certain associations I was making. Anyway, it's not great, but shmeh. If you buy into biorhythms - I am undecided - I looked mine up and they are like shit right now, so I'm trying not to be too harsh on myself)
As if it makes a difference
You’re just as pretty as you can be –
I was getting myself into trouble.
You’ll miss me when I’m gone [maybe not]
Shut up shut up shut up
I fell for your lies [every time]
but I won’t let you trick me twice
Oh wait, you’re always right.
Learn to spell your accusations
[it’s not effective if you can’t spell the insult]
I won’t miss you [sorry]
because you just don’t matter anymore.
As if it makes a difference
You’re just as pretty as you can be –
I was getting myself into trouble.
You’ll miss me when I’m gone [maybe not]
Shut up shut up shut up
I fell for your lies [every time]
but I won’t let you trick me twice
Oh wait, you’re always right.
Learn to spell your accusations
[it’s not effective if you can’t spell the insult]
I won’t miss you [sorry]
because you just don’t matter anymore.
I have begun to pretend you never happened
(I have no real commentary on this. I think it sucks more than usual, so I might take the idea and some of the lines and reformat them. Or stick them into an exercise. I should get back to doing exercises, I think my poems were getting better there for a while...)
I have begun to pretend you never happened
It’s par for the course you know,
losing people because
I fuck things up I guess.
Sit in my messy room
no energy to clean, I
stare off into a distant land,
only I can see it.
Everything is perfect
in this imaginary land, and
I have begun to pretend
you never happened.
I have begun to pretend you never happened
It’s par for the course you know,
losing people because
I fuck things up I guess.
Sit in my messy room
no energy to clean, I
stare off into a distant land,
only I can see it.
Everything is perfect
in this imaginary land, and
I have begun to pretend
you never happened.
02 janvier 2008
Maybe I should practise more
(here's a quick one. I'm trying to say something which inevitably makes my poems suck more. I don't know if that makes sense, but anyway. Here's a random one that's not very good and that I may actually edit one of these days...)
My clout is a print I pass around
Absurd affectations, I police my face.
Acting on the stage, wondering
who is the director?
I burn all my bridges to puzzle you –
my absurd affectations.
Bitterly cold with overcast skies,
but still too bright. I put on sunglasses
while I mince my words.
I smile with my teeth, button my coat.
My clout is a print I pass around:
strong and happy with pinstriped suit pants
and a form fitting t-shirt.
Absurd affectations,
You believe my amiability.
My clout is a print I pass around
Absurd affectations, I police my face.
Acting on the stage, wondering
who is the director?
I burn all my bridges to puzzle you –
my absurd affectations.
Bitterly cold with overcast skies,
but still too bright. I put on sunglasses
while I mince my words.
I smile with my teeth, button my coat.
My clout is a print I pass around:
strong and happy with pinstriped suit pants
and a form fitting t-shirt.
Absurd affectations,
You believe my amiability.
20 décembre 2007
Nonsensicality X 2
(I'm hoping that you'll read this title and that will help convey the point of the nonsensicality. No, I have no idea where the hell this poem came from. I mean, besides my head.)
Boy, it is your fault that I am not making sense
Stare into space,
long day, I am beat.
Beaten? Beat-ment, beatly.
I am beatlier than you.
You snerk at my maze of word play.
Bulletin! I am hinting at something,
aiming to paint a clear picture
what I want.
These paltry tries shred at my reality,
minty-fresh sanity is pulled from my gut
a sword catered just to me.
Deny the pain and it subsides,
peachy keen dontcha know?
I ran my fingers along your back,
I totally fruck.
Razors of excitement
exceeding a tolerable degree.
(this second one doesn't make any more sense. Possibly it makes less sense. Maybe I shouldn't write when I haven't been to sleep all night. Damned insomnia)
Keep Laughing
I keep laughing at the nonsense,
paint my toes with glitter and dance around my room.
The giant moon bubble rises in my watery sky,
victorious insomnia -- I pace on eggshells.
Does UPS deliver on Christmas eve eve?
Would be you be so kind to send me a rainbow?
Sew it to my quilt to stop the tossing turning.
You jostle my sanity, I frown at your presence,
but urge you stay. I will create you a niche
in my origami world.
Imagined animosity hurts,
I keep laughing at the nonsense.
Boy, it is your fault that I am not making sense
Stare into space,
long day, I am beat.
Beaten? Beat-ment, beatly.
I am beatlier than you.
You snerk at my maze of word play.
Bulletin! I am hinting at something,
aiming to paint a clear picture
what I want.
These paltry tries shred at my reality,
minty-fresh sanity is pulled from my gut
a sword catered just to me.
Deny the pain and it subsides,
peachy keen dontcha know?
I ran my fingers along your back,
I totally fruck.
Razors of excitement
exceeding a tolerable degree.
(this second one doesn't make any more sense. Possibly it makes less sense. Maybe I shouldn't write when I haven't been to sleep all night. Damned insomnia)
Keep Laughing
I keep laughing at the nonsense,
paint my toes with glitter and dance around my room.
The giant moon bubble rises in my watery sky,
victorious insomnia -- I pace on eggshells.
Does UPS deliver on Christmas eve eve?
Would be you be so kind to send me a rainbow?
Sew it to my quilt to stop the tossing turning.
You jostle my sanity, I frown at your presence,
but urge you stay. I will create you a niche
in my origami world.
Imagined animosity hurts,
I keep laughing at the nonsense.
16 décembre 2007
A couple... really, dear readers, COME BACK
(I swear, promise, really really am going to try my best to start updating this sucker regularly again. Anyway, with that in mind I have TWO new poems, yay?, written with the same base start of simple word association. The first one, as you can see, is seasonal, and the second... I keep trying, somewhat desperately, to put some of the emotions of dance into words. I don't know why, I guess I just want to be able to share some of it with people who aren't dancers, but really, it's just not possible. This does not seem to stop me from trying, so the second one is my attempt to give you a little glance into the world of dance, and the relations that happen between fellow dancers. Thanks for reading m'dears)
I don't know how to roast chestnuts
The ballerina dog ornament wears a tutu
Her tiara sparkles, shimmers in the tree lights
You raise your champagne flute and toast to the
holiday season filled with laughter, playing
freezing cold in the snow,
snuggling up warm by the fire.
I don’t know how to roast chestnuts,
grilled cheese sandwiches anyone?
Backstage Nerves
Backstage feeling jittery, little tremors
the black curtains looming ominous.
You come up the staircase to tread in the rosin,
play with the props to distract the nerves.
Come over to stand with me by the warm lights,
I adjust your costume… nervous habit.
You double-check my hooks and eyes,
we are a good team. I rub your shoulders a bit before
I start stretching myself [again!]
You hold my hands as I circle my ankles,
and whisper a little inside joke.
I have to suppress a giggle, and
the sour taste of nerves dissipates.
I hear the five-note cue from the symphony
and give you a wink and a smile before I go onstage –
to flirt with the audience.
To dance.
I don't know how to roast chestnuts
The ballerina dog ornament wears a tutu
Her tiara sparkles, shimmers in the tree lights
You raise your champagne flute and toast to the
holiday season filled with laughter, playing
freezing cold in the snow,
snuggling up warm by the fire.
I don’t know how to roast chestnuts,
grilled cheese sandwiches anyone?
Backstage Nerves
Backstage feeling jittery, little tremors
the black curtains looming ominous.
You come up the staircase to tread in the rosin,
play with the props to distract the nerves.
Come over to stand with me by the warm lights,
I adjust your costume… nervous habit.
You double-check my hooks and eyes,
we are a good team. I rub your shoulders a bit before
I start stretching myself [again!]
You hold my hands as I circle my ankles,
and whisper a little inside joke.
I have to suppress a giggle, and
the sour taste of nerves dissipates.
I hear the five-note cue from the symphony
and give you a wink and a smile before I go onstage –
to flirt with the audience.
To dance.
19 novembre 2007
Random Prose
(Have I mentioned that prose scenes just pop into my head and I don't know why or how? This is another one like that. Enjoy?)
I took a deep breath before I knocked on her door. I could hear the passionate orchestra music through the door -- the CD she always plays when she's sad. The door opened and I could see the pain in her expression. She said nothing. I swallowed.
"I'm sorry." Still she said nothing. "I didn't lie."
She shifted her weight slightly to lean into her left hip. Her movements were always so graceful, I felt lost in watching her.
"I know." Her voice broke through, brought me back to focus. I looked up, but she was looking past me, the sadness replaced to an empty expression.
"I just…" I trailed off. There was no need to explain, she already knew. "I need you." I decided to change my course, try to get her back.
She uncrossed her arms and played with her rings, but she did not change her gaze. Looking beyond me, maybe to someplace happier.
"I'm sorry."
"It's too late." Her voice was tired.
"If I could have another shot-"
"It's too late."
"If you'd take another chance-"
"It's too late." She closed her eyes, her hands were still.
"I will hold on, I will wait."
In one graceful movement she stood back, inside her apartment again. "It's too late." She closed the door.
I stood a long time, my fingertips resting gently on the doorknob. I wondered what she had seen when she looked past me. Maybe, if I could understand that, I could get her back.
I took a deep breath before I knocked on her door. I could hear the passionate orchestra music through the door -- the CD she always plays when she's sad. The door opened and I could see the pain in her expression. She said nothing. I swallowed.
"I'm sorry." Still she said nothing. "I didn't lie."
She shifted her weight slightly to lean into her left hip. Her movements were always so graceful, I felt lost in watching her.
"I know." Her voice broke through, brought me back to focus. I looked up, but she was looking past me, the sadness replaced to an empty expression.
"I just…" I trailed off. There was no need to explain, she already knew. "I need you." I decided to change my course, try to get her back.
She uncrossed her arms and played with her rings, but she did not change her gaze. Looking beyond me, maybe to someplace happier.
"I'm sorry."
"It's too late." Her voice was tired.
"If I could have another shot-"
"It's too late."
"If you'd take another chance-"
"It's too late." She closed her eyes, her hands were still.
"I will hold on, I will wait."
In one graceful movement she stood back, inside her apartment again. "It's too late." She closed the door.
I stood a long time, my fingertips resting gently on the doorknob. I wondered what she had seen when she looked past me. Maybe, if I could understand that, I could get her back.
08 novembre 2007
Poem to lure back any readership I might have had!
(holy crap! It's been a whole month. I've probably lost all my readership. Let's see if I can snag back some readers with this really random poem that popped into my head and demanded to be written down.)
Recreation of You
I love you better in the dark.
You’re more beautiful
when I can’t see you.
I make you up in my mind and
you are so perfect.
I love you better in writing.
You’re less annoying
when I don’t have to listen to you.
I read your words at my leisure and
they are so perfect.
I love you better in solitude.
You’re more perfect
when you’re not around.
I invent a brand new person
with your face, but perfect.
Recreation of You
I love you better in the dark.
You’re more beautiful
when I can’t see you.
I make you up in my mind and
you are so perfect.
I love you better in writing.
You’re less annoying
when I don’t have to listen to you.
I read your words at my leisure and
they are so perfect.
I love you better in solitude.
You’re more perfect
when you’re not around.
I invent a brand new person
with your face, but perfect.
07 octobre 2007
Surrender to the [almighty] Music
(hmm yeah, so I wasn't sure how to refine this and keep a sense of it being very raw and harsh. Hence it's raw and harsh, but I'm not sure it is as such in the way I wanted it to be... Ah well, it's midterms, no time to edit it right now!!!)
Surrender to the [almighty] Music
Bass lines beat hard
[head rush]
My heart gives in
to their rhythms.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I bow down to
this primordial idol.
The lights cast weird shadows
[delirium]
and I am transfixed.
These luminous patterns dictate--
I mimic them in my movements.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I obey this
omnipotent music-maker.
Sweat gleams on my skin
[fervent ecstasy]
damp hair in my eyes, manifestations
Of the desperation in the dancing.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I surrender myself to
this absolute power.
Surrender to the [almighty] Music
Bass lines beat hard
[head rush]
My heart gives in
to their rhythms.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I bow down to
this primordial idol.
The lights cast weird shadows
[delirium]
and I am transfixed.
These luminous patterns dictate--
I mimic them in my movements.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I obey this
omnipotent music-maker.
Sweat gleams on my skin
[fervent ecstasy]
damp hair in my eyes, manifestations
Of the desperation in the dancing.
Dance!
screams the DJ and
I surrender myself to
this absolute power.
30 septembre 2007
Haste makes waste
(and this poem is waste. Well okay, maybe if I actually spent time on it, it wouldn't totally suck, but, well, I didn't, and I don't know if I will. So this is a sample of the truly raw, unedited crap that comes out of my head. Enjoy...? Oh yeah, and I'm not sure if I like the title either, hahaha)
You were...
You were my colour
bringing the greys to life --
crimson roses and inky skies,
rich brown chocolate ice cream
rainbow sprinkles.
My tears fall, colourless,
onto the white tissues.
You were my lifeline
bringing vibrancy to life --
the rhythm of the beat in my heart,
the warmth inside my soul,
the chills down my spine.
I sit motionless on the couch,
even breath seems difficult, painful.
It is cold in this bleak existence,
no colour in my black and white world.
You were...
You were my colour
bringing the greys to life --
crimson roses and inky skies,
rich brown chocolate ice cream
rainbow sprinkles.
My tears fall, colourless,
onto the white tissues.
You were my lifeline
bringing vibrancy to life --
the rhythm of the beat in my heart,
the warmth inside my soul,
the chills down my spine.
I sit motionless on the couch,
even breath seems difficult, painful.
It is cold in this bleak existence,
no colour in my black and white world.
27 septembre 2007
I write openings a lot
(I like to write the opening scenes for stories and then abandon them. This one, however, I actually do have ideas for development... we shall see...)
I was too strung up to sleep. I used to feel this way sometimes when I was a Freedom user. Coming off the high was always so jittery -- that's how it felt after your death. I paced the streets, flicking the lid on my lighter. Open, close, open, close, forming a counter beat to my footsteps. It was dark that night, more than usual, as though nature were also mourning your death. And the streets seemed emptier… but I noticed people were also avoiding me. They had heard about your death -- maybe they knew I was ready to kill, that they would die if they interfered with this particular nighttime walk. I had no planned route, no goal destination when I set out, but I hit the spots we used to frequent and then I finally ended up at your grave. It was good of your parents to give you a funeral. I know there was tension, but they both cried and your dad shook my hand, and your mum kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. She held me so tightly that it was painful, not physically, just emotionally. I know I tried to say something consoling, but all I could do was lamely hug her back. I wore a dress for your funeral, I hope you know that.
I sat at your grave for a long time. I traced your name over and over, refusing to cry. Touching your grave gave me a sense of calm, but taking away my hand I felt highly strung again. I gripped your headstone as though maybe if I squeezed it hard enough it would spur your rebirth. And then I knew. A wave of calm came over me and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I kissed the cold stone, it would be the last time.
I was too strung up to sleep. I used to feel this way sometimes when I was a Freedom user. Coming off the high was always so jittery -- that's how it felt after your death. I paced the streets, flicking the lid on my lighter. Open, close, open, close, forming a counter beat to my footsteps. It was dark that night, more than usual, as though nature were also mourning your death. And the streets seemed emptier… but I noticed people were also avoiding me. They had heard about your death -- maybe they knew I was ready to kill, that they would die if they interfered with this particular nighttime walk. I had no planned route, no goal destination when I set out, but I hit the spots we used to frequent and then I finally ended up at your grave. It was good of your parents to give you a funeral. I know there was tension, but they both cried and your dad shook my hand, and your mum kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. She held me so tightly that it was painful, not physically, just emotionally. I know I tried to say something consoling, but all I could do was lamely hug her back. I wore a dress for your funeral, I hope you know that.
I sat at your grave for a long time. I traced your name over and over, refusing to cry. Touching your grave gave me a sense of calm, but taking away my hand I felt highly strung again. I gripped your headstone as though maybe if I squeezed it hard enough it would spur your rebirth. And then I knew. A wave of calm came over me and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I kissed the cold stone, it would be the last time.
25 septembre 2007
Still lesser?
(so, last time I was all "I promise something better soon" but since the Master's application has claimed its stake on my life and soul until 1 oct, I haven't really written anything great. So here's this little prose piece, it's sort of... lame? I dunno, I was trying to convey something, but I don't think I did a very good job. I may try again some other time)
Pumpkin Guts
It was raining outside when I drove to the store. I picked out the perfect pumpkin -- small, it would definitely be sweet. I drove home and the music on the radio made me feel weird -- I couldn't tell if I was happy or sad. I plopped the pumpkin on the counter and cut a hexagon around the stem. Normally I would cut it in half, but this time I felt it would be more gratifying to leave the pumpkin whole. I glanced at the melon baller on the counter, but instead plunged my hand inside the pumpkin and began pulling out handfuls of pumpkin guts. The goopy, stringy texture it left on my hand gave me creepy chills. Handful upon handful, pretty soon I started to laugh. I pulled out more of the stringy stuff and began to cry as well. And I stood there, crying and laughing and pulling out handfuls of orange goop until I was out of tears and laughter and the pumpkin guts were all out. I was empty and so was my pumpkin. I went outside to sit in the rain -- the pie could wait.
Pumpkin Guts
It was raining outside when I drove to the store. I picked out the perfect pumpkin -- small, it would definitely be sweet. I drove home and the music on the radio made me feel weird -- I couldn't tell if I was happy or sad. I plopped the pumpkin on the counter and cut a hexagon around the stem. Normally I would cut it in half, but this time I felt it would be more gratifying to leave the pumpkin whole. I glanced at the melon baller on the counter, but instead plunged my hand inside the pumpkin and began pulling out handfuls of pumpkin guts. The goopy, stringy texture it left on my hand gave me creepy chills. Handful upon handful, pretty soon I started to laugh. I pulled out more of the stringy stuff and began to cry as well. And I stood there, crying and laughing and pulling out handfuls of orange goop until I was out of tears and laughter and the pumpkin guts were all out. I was empty and so was my pumpkin. I went outside to sit in the rain -- the pie could wait.
20 septembre 2007
Lesser works
(I'm afraid I've been really busy trying to get everything done for my grad school application and have thus not had a chance to write anything new, so for now I'm giving you a lesser prose chunk and a poem I wrote my French class that is very forced because I made it rhyme. Since I rarely even rhyme English poetry, it was an interesting exercise. Anyway, I promise to write something better soon)
Chance Encounter in the Supermarket
"You don't want that."
"Excuse me?" I turned around to see a man my age looking concerned. Concerned about what, I wondered. I failed to see how my choices in the produce section bore any impact on his life.
"That particular zucchini squash."
"Oh? And why is that exactly?"
"Because I picked a better one before you arrived."
I looked at him trying to derive some meaning from what he was saying.
"If you come over tonight, I'll show you how to make an amazing zucchini squash dish."
"Is this some sort of joke?" I couldn't tell if he was trying to make a really bad pick up or if perhaps he had just wandered away from his institution.
"It's not a joke. I need to practise, and I get tired of trying to rate my own food. Plus the professors like when we can turn in feedback pertaining to our outside work."
"Rate your own food?"
"Yeah. It's hard for me to judge my own dishes. I mean, I want to like them, because I made them. At the same time, I can pretty much always sit there and think of way I could have, would have, should have tweaked the recipe and pretty soon I convince myself that it was a terrible dish. My professors say this is not an uncommon phenomenon."
"Professors?" I was sort of feeling like a demented parrot.
"I'm going to a culinary arts school. I actually moved here just for that reason."
I understood what he was saying, and I was able to relate that I knew about our culinary arts school -- best in the nation -- but I kept up the parrot routine. "Just moved here?"
"Yep, maybe a month ago, if that."
"Wow." Sometimes I amaze myself with the degree of insight in my statements.
Printemps
Le printemps – une renaissance :
une fête des fleurs,
un mélange d’odeurs ;
la beauté en abondance.
Écoutez au rouge-gorge qui pépie,
son chanson, après le silence longue,
est sucré comme une mangue,
et il m’assoupie.
Les petites fleurs, vraiment précaires,
s’efforcent contre la neige,
le soleil aident et déneiges,
la nature extraordinaire.
Encore, la froideur des nuits,
nous couvrit comme un manteau,
mais cette saison d’amour nouveau,
elle brille, elle reluit.
Chance Encounter in the Supermarket
"You don't want that."
"Excuse me?" I turned around to see a man my age looking concerned. Concerned about what, I wondered. I failed to see how my choices in the produce section bore any impact on his life.
"That particular zucchini squash."
"Oh? And why is that exactly?"
"Because I picked a better one before you arrived."
I looked at him trying to derive some meaning from what he was saying.
"If you come over tonight, I'll show you how to make an amazing zucchini squash dish."
"Is this some sort of joke?" I couldn't tell if he was trying to make a really bad pick up or if perhaps he had just wandered away from his institution.
"It's not a joke. I need to practise, and I get tired of trying to rate my own food. Plus the professors like when we can turn in feedback pertaining to our outside work."
"Rate your own food?"
"Yeah. It's hard for me to judge my own dishes. I mean, I want to like them, because I made them. At the same time, I can pretty much always sit there and think of way I could have, would have, should have tweaked the recipe and pretty soon I convince myself that it was a terrible dish. My professors say this is not an uncommon phenomenon."
"Professors?" I was sort of feeling like a demented parrot.
"I'm going to a culinary arts school. I actually moved here just for that reason."
I understood what he was saying, and I was able to relate that I knew about our culinary arts school -- best in the nation -- but I kept up the parrot routine. "Just moved here?"
"Yep, maybe a month ago, if that."
"Wow." Sometimes I amaze myself with the degree of insight in my statements.
Printemps
Le printemps – une renaissance :
une fête des fleurs,
un mélange d’odeurs ;
la beauté en abondance.
Écoutez au rouge-gorge qui pépie,
son chanson, après le silence longue,
est sucré comme une mangue,
et il m’assoupie.
Les petites fleurs, vraiment précaires,
s’efforcent contre la neige,
le soleil aident et déneiges,
la nature extraordinaire.
Encore, la froideur des nuits,
nous couvrit comme un manteau,
mais cette saison d’amour nouveau,
elle brille, elle reluit.
15 septembre 2007
La Conduite
(this was for my French lit class - the easy one - if you can't read it but would like to, please do not internet translate it. Just leave a comment and I'll post an English version.)
Je conduis dans le noir,
des flaques d’illumination,
des lampes s’alignent dans la rue.
Au milieu, dans l’obscurité
je t’imagine dans le siège
à côté de moi.
Nous conduisons en silence.
Dans la lumière
mes fantaisies se brisent –
je sais que je suis seule.
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
J’allume la radio,
le son de la basse secoue la voiture.
J’ai des élancements dans la tête,
le rythme de la chanson.
Je frappe le bouton
et il n’y a que le son de la pluie.
J’essaie de me rappeler ton visage,
je t’imagine avec un air tendre
Mais, ma vision subit une mutation
tu souris d’un air narquois.
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
Mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
Je n’ai pas prêté l’attention,
J’ai presque tombé de la rue.
C’était capiteux,
Et je suis distraite de mes pensées [de toi].
Si je plongeais de la route,
Pleurerais-tu pour moi ?
Tu rends-tu compte que
t'avais tort ?
Saurais-tu que
tu me hantes pendant cette conduite ?
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
Mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
Je conduis dans le noir,
des flaques d’illumination,
des lampes s’alignent dans la rue.
Au milieu, dans l’obscurité
je t’imagine dans le siège
à côté de moi.
Nous conduisons en silence.
Dans la lumière
mes fantaisies se brisent –
je sais que je suis seule.
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
J’allume la radio,
le son de la basse secoue la voiture.
J’ai des élancements dans la tête,
le rythme de la chanson.
Je frappe le bouton
et il n’y a que le son de la pluie.
J’essaie de me rappeler ton visage,
je t’imagine avec un air tendre
Mais, ma vision subit une mutation
tu souris d’un air narquois.
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
Mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
Je n’ai pas prêté l’attention,
J’ai presque tombé de la rue.
C’était capiteux,
Et je suis distraite de mes pensées [de toi].
Si je plongeais de la route,
Pleurerais-tu pour moi ?
Tu rends-tu compte que
t'avais tort ?
Saurais-tu que
tu me hantes pendant cette conduite ?
Ici, il n’y a que la confusion,
Mes pensées tourbillonnent, agitées.
07 septembre 2007
Another Poetry and (very short) Prose
(So, the prose is actually longer, it's about 3 paragraphs, but I don't know that I like what I added. That's how my prose always are... I never know where to go next. I'd really like to do something with this other story where I have the opening, and a few random scenes that would follow (but not in order) but I have no actual plot, nor any idea where I want it to go. So anyway, here are a few sentences of a prose, and then a really random "poem" that I wrote)
Bikes
They rode around the estate on their bikes -- he with his wide-tire road bike and she with her street bike and basket on the handlebars. Occasionally, he would detour towards a tree to pluck a blossom and throw it in her basket. She laughed every time.
Helter Skelter
Helter skelter
your words swirl around me.
They float away from each other,
losing meaning with distance.
I debate grasping at them,
but there are so many of them,
and it might be a bit obvious…
I focus on your face, instead,
and hope your features will stay put
better than your words.
Close my eyes,
I cannot recall the details of you --
two eyes, one nose, one mouth
that seems to speak sans cesse.
If only you would actually SAY something.
Bikes
They rode around the estate on their bikes -- he with his wide-tire road bike and she with her street bike and basket on the handlebars. Occasionally, he would detour towards a tree to pluck a blossom and throw it in her basket. She laughed every time.
Helter Skelter
Helter skelter
your words swirl around me.
They float away from each other,
losing meaning with distance.
I debate grasping at them,
but there are so many of them,
and it might be a bit obvious…
I focus on your face, instead,
and hope your features will stay put
better than your words.
Close my eyes,
I cannot recall the details of you --
two eyes, one nose, one mouth
that seems to speak sans cesse.
If only you would actually SAY something.
05 septembre 2007
Poetry and Prose in one posting!
(neither are exercises, I just wrote them, both are works in progress I think)
Grey Moods
Flat grey mists
crowd out the sun on my back
Manic depressive I thrive
on high highs and
the lowest lows
What to do with this in between…
this grey.
Tea at Her House
I failed a test once when I was in primary school. I remember walking home trying to figure out how I would tell my mother. I believe I said something to the effect of experiencing a need for revisionary practises. I thought it sounded pretty good, especially since I was six years old. But she saw right through me and I wasn't allowed any comics for two weeks. I was kind of feeling a similar apprehension as I walked up the steps to the house. As though I were about to be reviewed and found lacking -- failing. I rang the bell and could hear soft footsteps. She appeared in the doorway, her hair still damp, looking fresh in her sundress and no shoes. She smiled and opened the door to gesture me in. I wandered into the sun room and saw a pitcher of iced tea on the table.
"Please, sit, help yourself to a glass. I just need to put the fruit on a platter."
I sat and watched her move around the kitchen with a certain grace to her motions. She finally came back to the table with a platter of varying fruits.
"The mango and iced tea I think are a strange combination, but the strawberries seem to blend nicely with the taste."
"Mmm." I reached for a strawberry while she poured herself a glass of the tea. She sipped at it and watched me for a moment.
"So…"
"Yeah." I wanted to say something to help the conversation, but I never feel like I can quite get my brain together when I'm around her.
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Oh?" I chewed harder on my strawberry. Leaving?
"Yeah… for South America."
I began to choke. I'm pretty sure I swallowed strawberry into my lung. She sipped her tea and stared out the window.
Grey Moods
Flat grey mists
crowd out the sun on my back
Manic depressive I thrive
on high highs and
the lowest lows
What to do with this in between…
this grey.
Tea at Her House
I failed a test once when I was in primary school. I remember walking home trying to figure out how I would tell my mother. I believe I said something to the effect of experiencing a need for revisionary practises. I thought it sounded pretty good, especially since I was six years old. But she saw right through me and I wasn't allowed any comics for two weeks. I was kind of feeling a similar apprehension as I walked up the steps to the house. As though I were about to be reviewed and found lacking -- failing. I rang the bell and could hear soft footsteps. She appeared in the doorway, her hair still damp, looking fresh in her sundress and no shoes. She smiled and opened the door to gesture me in. I wandered into the sun room and saw a pitcher of iced tea on the table.
"Please, sit, help yourself to a glass. I just need to put the fruit on a platter."
I sat and watched her move around the kitchen with a certain grace to her motions. She finally came back to the table with a platter of varying fruits.
"The mango and iced tea I think are a strange combination, but the strawberries seem to blend nicely with the taste."
"Mmm." I reached for a strawberry while she poured herself a glass of the tea. She sipped at it and watched me for a moment.
"So…"
"Yeah." I wanted to say something to help the conversation, but I never feel like I can quite get my brain together when I'm around her.
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Oh?" I chewed harder on my strawberry. Leaving?
"Yeah… for South America."
I began to choke. I'm pretty sure I swallowed strawberry into my lung. She sipped her tea and stared out the window.
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