Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Luck

















We are a mixed puzzle

A book
A phone
A long lost hat

The car sleeps under the black stray cat

How do we know 
We are

Because we have a heart beat 
She whispers
Lubdub
Lubdub

Two little girls in a dunking tub

I have to check
Time must not dangle 

So many rules 
She sighs

If I was a gem 
How precious would I be
She asks
Lying on her side
Hair drizzling over baby bird elbows

I don’t have the backbone to answer

You are cobalt blue 
She squeals
My favourite colour
Forever and ever 

I hug the wall
This is me sober
Want to see me fall

No one came Alice
Only the people in grey suits
Who wrote our story 
With a company pen 

They got it all wrong 
Of course
She smooths her hair 
Tried to make us cheap 
And nasty

We are
A picture 
Of a picture
On a wall
On a wall

A distant star
Circling the moon
But still shining
She says
Quietly
Shh

We drop
Like a penny in the night

He used razor wire 
To staunch the flow of blood
How perfectly silly
She says

The silver warms against my skin
See a penny pick up
A shilling is even better luck

Is that the phone or the moon

We are in a state aren’t we
No
We are feeling

We are
We are 

I hug the wall
This is me sober
Want to see me fall.
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52 comments:

  1. moondustwriter10 February 2016 at 04:32

    Jae you show us that inanimate objects can represent so many realities and sometimes become friends. The wall might be scored with rivulets of tears that have merged with its own. If only the wall could speak for us...

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 05:15

      I think it speaks - to those who perhaps know and can listen..thank you for seeing..and hearing Leslie..much appreciated..

      Delete
  2. Sanaa Rizvi10 February 2016 at 05:29

    I hug the wall
    This is me sober
    Want to see me fall.

    I somehow feel the wall acts as a pillar of strength when we feel as if we are about to fall. Beautifully penned!

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 05:32

      Walls and floors can be very grounding - yes indeed..thank you very much Sanaa - and for the cup of happy

      Delete
  3. Gillena Cox10 February 2016 at 05:40

    "I have to check
    Time must not dangle "

    This for me is the most interesting line today, for i understand Alice who though she defies gravity is cognizant of the importance of time and seasons

    much love...

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  4. Anonymous10 February 2016 at 05:46

    We are
    A picture
    Of a picture
    On a wall
    On a wall
    .... that really made me sad...what a line!

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  5. Mary10 February 2016 at 06:47

    It is interesting to think that the objects we have kind of tell a story of who we are.
    A book -- can tell a lot about someone's interests
    A phone -- can tell a lot about a person's contacts
    A long lost hat -- for church? for sports? for the sun? for warmth? for fashion?
    A picture -- of who? of what? painted or photograph?
    Indeed it seems one's possessions are kind of a mirror for who we are!

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 09:25

      Thank you Mary for bringing that mirror to life! Much appreciated

      Delete
  6. Magical Mystical Teacher10 February 2016 at 08:31

    Every time I read one of your poems, I come away shaking my head, wondering how you do it. Mostly, I am filled with wonder. As I am now. Thank you.

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 09:26

      Thank you Magical - what a magical comment!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous10 February 2016 at 09:05

    your wall is quite a comfort in its reality - I like the pictures you hung on it and the soft touches of humour that emerge in your dialogue of rhymes

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 09:27

      Thank you for seeing that comfort telltale..I'm glad there is a drizzle of humour too!

      Delete
  8. Sherry Blue Sky10 February 2016 at 09:21

    WOW! One of your best yet, and that is saying something, as your work is always brilliant. What struck me most: "this is me sober. Watch me fall." " We are feeling", and, especially, "hair drizzling over baby bird elbows", the grey suits who get the story wrong, and that distant star circling the moon. Wow. This is a breathtaking write, my friend.

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 09:28

      And thank you for such a generous comment Sherry..very much valued :)

      Delete
  9. Sumana Roy10 February 2016 at 09:24

    "If I was a gem
    How precious would I be
    She asks"....she is already a gem sprinkling life to everything around .....and i love these lines "We are in a state aren’t we
    No
    We are feeling"...

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  10. Sheilagh Lee10 February 2016 at 09:28

    you won't fall but if you do we'll be there to pick you up. Your poetry always stuns me with vivid images.

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 11:48

      Thank you Sheilagh - we are life's stumblers but are very pleased to have people there to pick us up

      Delete
  11. Alice Audrey10 February 2016 at 11:41

    I like you sober. Don't fall.

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    1. Jae Rose10 February 2016 at 11:48

      Thank you Alice. I appreciate that greatly

      Delete
  12. Old Egg10 February 2016 at 13:33

    What a delight to read your work and be mesmerised by your words that flow so fluently from your fingers Jae. You certainly have a gift that touches your readers. The sadness and fear of the men in grey suits is masked by the scenes you paint with such humour.

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    1. Jae Rose11 February 2016 at 04:35

      If hospital teaches you anything it's how to maintain a poker face..thank you kindly Old Egg...

      Delete
  13. Purba chakraborty10 February 2016 at 14:19

    There are so many layers in this poem. A wonderful read :)

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  14. Eileen T O'Neill .....10 February 2016 at 15:37

    Jae Rose,

    Just love the image of 'the car sleeping under the black stray cat.' Fabulous with its serious side and the interludes of the bizarre...
    Eileen

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    1. Jae Rose11 February 2016 at 04:37

      We do do interludes of the bizarre quite frequently don't we - great turn of phrase - thank you Eileen

      Delete
  15. J.N.T.10 February 2016 at 17:58

    Hi Jae, I can detect some past personal events in your poem then the fantastical inclusions of Alice and other wonderland whims and plays, it makes me in awe of your talent of mixing the personal with the magical and it all makes for unique art and talent. Lets not forget the syrupy flow of words. Wow!

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    1. Jae Rose11 February 2016 at 04:39

      Thank you for your perceptive comment James - yes maybe the personal sang louder than wonderland this week..but we always like syrup - thank you!

      Delete
  16. Unknown10 February 2016 at 21:01

    As always I am mesmerized by your writing. I am awed by the vivid and original images you paint. Unlike some others, I can't pick a favorite line. Just loved it all.

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  17. kaykuala11 February 2016 at 05:32

    A distant star
    Circling the moon
    But still shining

    One gets the feeling how lucky one can get if one is to continue to move around looking for opportunities

    Hank

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    Replies
    1. Jae Rose11 February 2016 at 06:36

      It's all about keeping moving however hard I think thank you Hank

      Delete
  18. PT11 February 2016 at 06:55

    I wonder from where you get all these thoughts which are woven into so perfect verse
    I simply admire your writing style!

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    1. Jae Rose11 February 2016 at 12:45

      Thank you so much PT - sometimes I am not entirely sure either!

      Delete
  19. Hannah11 February 2016 at 13:49

    I love your opening and this reversal caught me by happy-surprise:

    "The car sleeps under the black stray cat"

    I love the bit about cobalt blue, too...reminds me of my mother for some reason. I don't know - maybe that was her favorite, too.


    Thank you for this, Jae...your poem feels bright...like in a way that brings light.

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    1. Jae Rose12 February 2016 at 02:20

      Thank you too Hannah - I am glad there was a happy surprise and hopefully a bright memory too

      Delete
  20. rallentanda11 February 2016 at 15:03

    The men in grey suits who get it all wrong...dangerous and scary. Necessary to give poker face responses ,regurgitating preconceptions to fit into the required boxes...fitting nicely into the text book bible.

    We are in a state aren't we
    No we are feeling

    What?
    Feeling?
    The text book specifies this as socially unacceptable display of hostility
    You are only as sane as your psychiatrist deems and we already know that they are mostly disturbed to a greater or lesser degree.This, the best reason for staying sober and not to fall so you will never have to go near one again.

    I'll have to go and have a cup of tea now..it's too early here for these reality shots:)




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    1. Jae Rose12 February 2016 at 02:24

      Rallentanda I raise a cup of tea to you..thank you for chewing over my reality shots..truth..genuine emotion.. there is no place for that in the health system..i hope i get the ovaries to run to the hills and never look back at some point - maybe even shouting a loud fuck you all from the summit

      Delete
    2. rallentanda13 February 2016 at 18:53

      You do that... When you reach it,dont be surprised to see a strange old bird up there with a megaphone doing the same thing. LOL

      Delete
    3. Jae Rose14 February 2016 at 02:14

      I will bring a picnic with me ;) and maybe it's not us who are strange!

      Delete
  21. J Cosmo Newbery12 February 2016 at 02:14

    "If I was a gem, How precious would I be".
    Love that!

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    1. Jae Rose12 February 2016 at 02:24

      Thank you J Cosmo - do you think a nice glass of red counts as a gem ;)

      Delete
  22. Susan12 February 2016 at 12:12

    Indeed, a mixed puzzle! How do you solve jigsaw puzzles mixed together? Very slowly! I like the contrast between that mix and the picture on the wall and the picture of a picture. Quite the little puzzle here!

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    1. Jae Rose13 February 2016 at 01:55

      Yes - we had our puzzle hats on for sure - thank you kindly Susan..good to see you and hope the teaching is going well

      Delete
  23. World So Wide13 February 2016 at 00:33

    Amazing what these three words have sparked!

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  24. humbird14 February 2016 at 16:49

    My fave are the beginning 'We are a mixed puzzle

    A book
    A phone
    A long lost hat..." plus the pic you choose, - all together they set the classy scene perfectly...see your characters like in long cartoon rooms....one after another....and so on....cool!

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    1. Jae Rose15 February 2016 at 07:52

      That's a great visual - the old fashioned cartoons where it feels like you're turning a page - thank you humbird

      Delete
  25. Intelliblog16 February 2016 at 22:06

    I just had to smile when cobalt blue was mentioned! My fave colour too :-)

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    1. Jae Rose17 February 2016 at 00:59

      We're in good company then! Thanks Nicholas

      Delete

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