Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Power Cut

There is a dolly dressed all in blue
Stuck to the lamp post

The walls have ears
The stairs have toes

We whisper through the alley
Cold
Depraved
Powerful
They say

Only we know
Yesterday's Bakewell tart is stuck to the fibres of the red bed
When the fibres of the world are bound 
There is no power 
Quiet
or 
Loud

Hold on a minute
She giggles
Mummy’s getting white trashed

I suppose you have to see the funny

Break glass for key
Beyond the castle

Shredding protecting recycling
Protecting shredding recycling

No simple answer
No simple question

The walls have ears
The stairs have toes
No one seems to know

The fibres of time have become distorted

I pull the gold from my hair
Bananas and bread in our head

The stars fall on our hats
I could mop them up
Thirteen books on a shelf
Words that will never be read 

Funny
In a cold depraved and powerful way.

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44 comments:

  1. Susan28 January 2015 at 04:29

    I love how this poem returns to its opening images by the end, less "power cut" than "power distorted" in the very fibre of being. The fibres of being are so out of place at times (banana and bread and stars and tarts and dolls and ears and toes). It is not funny, but laughter helps survival. At least it does in my life. Others may mis-take it as a sign of madness or lucidity--either extreme.

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    1. Jae Rose28 January 2015 at 04:33

      Thank you Susan - I often wonder if being too sane is more confusing to others than being bananas - thank you for embracing that idea..and the poem (as ever)..and yes..seeing the funny side helps on even the darkest most disordered days

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  2. Anonymous28 January 2015 at 05:28

    Out of left field. (But in the nicest of ways. :) )

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  3. Ann (bunnygirl)28 January 2015 at 07:30

    I think you hit on something we often overlook: the reason there are no simple answers is that there are no simple questions. We think they're simple, but when you start digging, you start to see that the rabbit trail goes very deep. One doesn't have to follow the hole down in order to fill it, though. We can fill it with stars.

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    1. Jae Rose28 January 2015 at 07:48

      Thank you Ann - and for the sparkling comment

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  4. Sherry Blue Sky28 January 2015 at 09:02

    I love that the stairs have toes - your images are always so unexpected and delightful. I , too, like how the walls and stairs return at the end of the poem, full circle......and "no simple answer, no simple question."

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    1. Jae Rose28 January 2015 at 10:03

      Thank you very much Sherry - i guess there's a difference between going around in circles or coming full circle...the latter being the better option!

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  5. Sheilagh Lee28 January 2015 at 09:50

    they're are never simple answers to find our way but we don't have to keep digging holes for ourselves and making obstacles we must overcome we can choose to fight back and take one day at a time saying today I will forget the past today I will be happy.

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    1. Jae Rose28 January 2015 at 10:04

      Thank you Sheilagh - that's a very good philosophy

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  6. Dee Martin28 January 2015 at 09:59

    Stair and my toes? We cut the power for real lol. I loved the feel of this and then the smack of the last two lines!

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    1. Jae Rose28 January 2015 at 10:05

      Ouch! For the power cut and smack - thank you kindly Dee

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  7. Magical Mystical Teacher28 January 2015 at 11:20

    Nothing is sadder, I think, than books on a shelf that will never be read. Still, Alice tells stories, doesn't she?

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:28

      She certainly does..thanks for reminding me Magical!

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  8. Anonymous28 January 2015 at 11:43

    wonderful images !

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  9. Unknown28 January 2015 at 13:38

    There are a lot of different images in this poem from the lamp to the gold bananas in your hair. I like how you describe the scenery around you.

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:29

      Thanks Kenn - i think the scenery is half in and half out of my head - in many ways!

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  10. Old Egg28 January 2015 at 15:22

    I suppose you have to see the funny...no simple answer. Such wisdom here Jae. Even when we get the answer which is of course "42" we are still not satisfied so we should just sit back and enjoy the ride. However do try to read those books or pass them on.

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:30

      Thank you Old Egg..42 seemed such a long way off..now it's on the doorstep of time...or across the threshold...we will hold on...and at least tolerate the ride

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  11. kaykuala28 January 2015 at 16:16

    The fibres in all its goodness. Thoughtful take Jae!

    Hank

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  12. rallentanda28 January 2015 at 18:40

    Hold on a moment
    she giggles
    Mummy's getting white trashed
    EXCUSE ME
    I am not old enough
    to be your mother
    LOL

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:32

      Tsk...i am old enough to be my own white trash momma (or grandmother!)...besides you wouldn't want to be lumbered with me and Alice would you...we'd just get bananas in your hair..good to see you Rallentanda

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  13. humbird28 January 2015 at 19:50

    'The walls have ears
    The stairs have toes' ~ love this idea. How many of those they remember and will feel? sense? in future....we temporarily forever here ..like Alice

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:33

      Yes Alice will always live on..maybe we all get absorbed into the fabric of the world too..thank you humbird

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  14. Alice Audrey28 January 2015 at 20:18

    Those last two lines really bring it all together. I also love "Mummy’s getting white trashed".

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 04:34

      Thank you (other) Alice...that phrase crops up a lot in my day..maybe i should try harder...sigh :~ (don't worry no actual children involved ;)

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  15. Helen A. Howell28 January 2015 at 22:01

    It's those power cuts that disrupt life but sometimes make it interesting too.

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  16. Unknown29 January 2015 at 05:55

    I dont know why but this struck my like those little roadside shrines where someone has perished. Flowers and dolls are out of place there but they are there all the same

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    1. Jae Rose29 January 2015 at 05:57

      I hadn't thought of it like that but it's a perfect explanation.. Thank you Moonie

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  17. Johnly29 January 2015 at 12:20

    " Break glass for key" ~ Then read between the lines for the full magical effect ~ This is a wonderful take on the prompt Jae ~

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    1. Jae Rose30 January 2015 at 02:11

      Thanks very much John...it always makes me smile when i pass those little perspex boxes

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  18. Anonymous29 January 2015 at 20:55

    I love everything about this unique poem, particularly, "mummy's getting white trashed."

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    1. Jae Rose30 January 2015 at 02:12

      Thank you purple...i'm glad you liked that line!

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  19. Gen Giggles 30 January 2015 at 03:52

    I'm with purple, that line invokes memories.

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    1. Jae Rose30 January 2015 at 04:10

      Ones you have to see the funny side of perhaps...thank you GL

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  20. Wolfsrosebud30 January 2015 at 06:38

    you start with a simple sight and take us to a much deeper journey; one I'm sure we all could relate in different ways

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    1. Jae Rose30 January 2015 at 06:45

      Thank you for your insightful comment Wolfsrose

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  21. Magical Mystical Teacher1 February 2015 at 07:35

    Sometimes, I imagine, the line between parasite and host is somewhat blurred...

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  22. Donna1 February 2015 at 14:38

    I just keep reading and reading as these images fire in my brain....full circle as there indeed are no simple answers

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    1. Jae Rose2 February 2015 at 06:41

      No never simple answers - thank you Donna

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