Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Magic Touch

The woman who lays hands on me in the high street touches my shoulder and says well done you.
I realise I haven’t been back to the bad place since she touched me on the bus.
I feel giddy.
I see a penny pick it up.
I lay it on the counter.
Next to the little plan and purse.
Next to the little paper mats I cut out from the shoe box.
The shoes hurt my feet.
But they are from you.
I knead need knee-ed you.
I like the little paper mats. I cut around the pictures of the dragonfly and butterfly. I imagine some people would use their new shoes to take them to the dragons and the butterflies. But I am happy to imagine from home.
My little mats absorb red so wonderfully.
Stop the watermark of dreams melting into the wood.
There is so much fantasy.
I find eleven numbers. Yours if I put them in a row. And dial.
A paper mat of rightness keeps me away from the phone.
Well done you.
Maybe you passed in a suit. In the sun. I don’t see faces any more. It’s all CCTV inside. Movement without noise. Actions people will rewind to find out where they lost me.
It shrieks in here. That last packet of toilet rolls. Can't you see.
Find. Magnify. Erase.
I walk down an alley to absorb the thoughts. The cobblestones mop up the overload.
I see one word on the wall.
I take a photo.
Really I want to cleanse it.
How can there be a little ghetto next to the pie shop.
Cleanse is such a mighty word. A smell of the shed you want to forget.
So many things disordered. Sometimes it leaks out of my lips. Or rubs the skin off my heels. The torn skin of a day that isn’t quite right.

Still I have the touch.
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26 comments:

  1. Old Egg20 April 2011 at 05:14

    There are some beautiful word associations in this piece. Red (blood?) skin, dragons and butterflies, then there is the smell of the shed. All these conjure up fascinating pictures in your readers minds and so draw them in too into your world of pain.

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  2. Jae Rose20 April 2011 at 05:31

    Thank you OldEgg..I thought this was cheerier J today..but you know me so well..dragons and butterflies are never far away..
    ..thank you.. Jae

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  3. annell420 April 2011 at 05:42

    I especially like the watermark of dreams....did I tell you about my experience of seeing this red dragonfly? It was last summer, in May. We went to Haversupie, and there near the village, near the river, on a small tree, the red dragonfly sat. As if she waited for me. It was pure magic! There is a Native American tale about the dragon and how he was tricked by coyote, to turn himself into a dragonfly. And then coyote wouldn't let him become a dragon again. So for all eternity he is dragonfly. And I think she is woman. Dragonfly magic has to do with illusion and butterfly has to do with transformation, according to the Medicine Cards. This is a very beautiful piece! Pure magic.

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  4. Ramesh Sood20 April 2011 at 06:09

    You continue to amaze me Jae.. and I sit wondering for quite some time after every visit here.. I always reread just to get the how your thoughts get weaved.. and I enjoy these moments.. Thank You!!!

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  5. Jae Rose20 April 2011 at 06:46

    Thank you Annell..I am sure she flew to you..illusion and transformation is a potent mix..thank you..

    Thank you very much Ramesh..if you unravel it be sure to let me know..

    much thanks
    Jae

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  6. Kodjo Deynoo20 April 2011 at 08:45

    I enjoyed the journey you took me on, reading this poem

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  7. Altonian20 April 2011 at 08:58

    Much, much lighter Jae. I'd be inclined to spend more time on buses or in the High Street.

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  8. Jae Rose20 April 2011 at 09:00

    Thank you Kodjo..glad you came along..

    Sounds like a wise plan..thanks Altonian..

    Jae

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  9. Unknown20 April 2011 at 09:11

    This is a wonderful mix of emotion and imagery, Jae. In the beginning, I feel the lightness of being, a freer, safer spirit. I would be one of those to emanate the aura of "well done you," as the character dips her toe into the water she has avoided for so long. A wade is in the offing. A swim is down the line. They will refresh and renew.

    The piece shows strength and confidence building ~ that paper mat of rightness might not have been recognized or heeded in earlier times.

    Some of the demons crept in, but they do, don't they? We learn to give them ever-decreasing amounts of attention until their presence becomes completely benign.

    BTW-- Always feel free to tell me I'm full of bung, Jae!

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  10. glnroz20 April 2011 at 09:24

    "sweet and sour",,good combination

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  11. Cgull20 April 2011 at 09:28

    Nice poem Jae. Cheers.

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  12. Sheilagh Lee20 April 2011 at 10:08

    Beautiful deep piece I truly enjoyed this Jae.

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  13. VL Sheridan20 April 2011 at 10:27

    "Still I have the touch". I can always be sure to find a least one phrase or sentence in your stories Jae that is just luminous. Beautifully done.

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  14. Laurie Kolp20 April 2011 at 10:42

    Jae~ Beautiful images... I especially like
    "Stop the watermark of dreams melting into the wood."

    ~laurie

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  15. erer20 April 2011 at 16:17

    I like the whole idea of holding on to that touch. Makes it such a happy thought. Beautiful imagery as always. Nice work Jae! :)

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  16. Jae Rose21 April 2011 at 06:48

    Thanks Kim - never full of 'bung'..I always look forward to your comments..sometimes they show me more than what I've written (if that makes sense)..I like the idea of learning how to wade before you can swim..it's good there is some confidence amongst the toilet rolls od despair! Thanks as always..

    Thank you Glenn...always a pleasure..

    Thank you Chris..

    Thank you Sheilagh..

    Thank you VL..had such dilemmas about adding punctuation..in the end got so confusled just left it all out..thanks as ever..

    Thank you very much Laurie - and for following.. :)

    Thank you WarmSunshine..me too ;)

    Jae

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  17. Ren21 April 2011 at 07:21

    Still amazed, still learning, always enjoying :)

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  18. Jae Rose21 April 2011 at 07:56

    Thank you Ren..;)

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  19. Shail21 April 2011 at 11:41

    Your writing has magic

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  20. Jae Rose22 April 2011 at 07:03

    Thank you Shail :)

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  21. Anonymous22 April 2011 at 09:03

    A touch can mean a lot, even when it isn't bestowed on someone who needs it so much.

    - Alice

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  22. PJD22 April 2011 at 15:29

    I'm glad Kim got here before me because she said everything I was thinking, only with far more eloquence and insight. I'll add that the cadence of this enhances the tone.

    And this:
    I find eleven numbers. Yours if I put them in a row. And dial.
    A paper mat of rightness keeps me away from the phone.
    Well done you.
    is my favorite moment.

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  23. Jae Rose23 April 2011 at 03:53

    Thank you very much Peter...lovely to have your feedback..Jae

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  24. Jae Rose23 April 2011 at 09:05

    Thank you very much Alice - and especially for following..glad of the internet pat on the shoulder! Jae

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  25. Dee Martin23 April 2011 at 19:21

    "A smell of the shed you want to forget." that gave me shivers...dragons and butterflies, such contradictory images.
    find. magnify. erase. cleaning up the picture always.

    You DO have the touch though, that is for sure sha :) Hugs.

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  26. Jae Rose24 April 2011 at 02:56

    Thank you Dee..you always zoom into the bits that count..hope it's a 'good' touch though..Hoppy Easter..Jae :0

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