We eat Bakewell tarts
Hidden on the kitchen floor
As if anyone is looking
The floor feels bendy
Giddy and sick
Like my head
We are rapid cycling
Up with the stars
Down with the moon
If only your head
Would stop stop
She retches red in the sink
Rip
Clutch
Tear
Bare
Hit
Hit
Hit
We creep around the edges
Of our existence
Shoes creaking
Loud as hammers
Banging in nails
Soul variable
Three or four
Mainly fair
Good
Glitter in our hair
Stones in our feet
A blizzard of secrets
A bully of words
Fantasies buried
Enchantment dead
Untouchable
Unbelievable
Real
Who put the gasoline in the fridge
Me silly
I think you’re about to explode
Boom
She giggles
Holds my hand
Pins me to the floor
Our bodies quietly move
Wishing up
A storm
A tea cup
A fairy tale
What did your daddy teach you
How to aim straight
She sucks her candy
Points her toes
Smiles
Well that’s far more useful than verbs and sewing
We look at each other
Laugh
Bones and dust
Little cricket
Bones and dust
Then pass me a glass of red
She says
We drink the world away
Hidden on the kitchen floor
As if anyone is looking.
At first I was shocked that Alice was drinking but then I remembered that she happily drank the shrinking and growing potions so as no one is looking that is OK as well. What is so special about your writing Jae is the humour you inject into the very sad scenarios you paint each week.
ReplyDeleteThank you Old Egg - I think Alice is well acquainted with the bottle - 150 years underground can drive a girl to many a thing - thank you for seeing the humour amidst the wreckage..
DeleteOur bodies quietly move
ReplyDeleteWishing up
A storm
A tea cup
A fairy tale... these lines are haunting. Love them Jae.
Thank you very much thotpurge...
DeleteYikes. Sometimes we are the worst bullies to ourselves, I think, kick, kick and double kick. Sounds like these two ladies have mean hangovers: "We creep around the edges
ReplyDeleteOf our existence
Shoes creaking
Loud as hammers
Banging in nails"
Alice is deathly sardonic to say "Well that’s far more useful than verbs and sewing." Laughter! Groan.
Thank you Susan - yes on all counts - and deathly sardonic - the perfect way to sum up our little friend ;) Thank you
DeleteAwesomely expressed the feeling...
ReplyDeleteThank you Dipannita
DeleteWe creep around the edges
ReplyDeleteOf our existence
Shoes creaking
Loud as hammers
Banging in nails
Sometimes when a person is bullied he tends to creep around his existence as though watching from somewhere around a corner. Powerful write Jae.
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Yes sometimes the edges are the only place to survive things - thank you very much Sanaa
DeleteWe drink the world away
ReplyDeleteHidden on the kitchen floor
As if anyone is looking
To hide away and not being seen is the best defense
Hank
Or the worst attack - thank you Hank!
Delete"Fantasies buried
ReplyDeleteEnchantment dead
Untouchable
Unbelievable
Real"....yes, sometimes reality is all that but thank god it also includes some "....rapid cycling
Up with the stars
Down with the moon"....dream /imagination is our lifeline :)
It really is Sumana - as important as air, water - and love - thank you :)
DeleteStunning lines Jae! Loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Bekkie
Deletesometimes we are our own worse enemies we need to say no to those silly little voices that tell us foolish things but that's hard and yes sometimes it's easier to hide and hope no one sees us.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely - learning to be your own friend is deceptively difficult it seems - thank you for your insightful comment Sheilagh
DeleteThis is such a lonely poem, written so beautifully, Jae Rose. You have such a gift. I agree with Robin, I adore the touches of humour in the midst of the pain, but I am saddened by the pain. "We creep around the edges of our existence" creeps into my heart. I picture you and Alice dancing in a meadow full of daisies. Or maybe even just sitting in one, basking in the sun. Wish I lived close enough to come for tea. I'd bring sweets!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely place to see us - thank you Sherry - you wouldn't think it would be so hard...but where there's a j there's a creeping pain somewhere at large :~ we would love for you to come to tea - sweets or not - thank you xo
DeleteI never did learn to shoot straight, but I've found both verb and sewing pretty handy.
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen floor scares me.
They are handy and it is wise to be scared of that floor - thank you (other) Alice
DeleteAnother brilliant piece, Jae. I have sense Alice is being a proding in this one. But couldn't be more right about verbs. Personally I have a bit of malice towards prepositions. lol
ReplyDeleteMalice towards prepositions - that made me chuckle - thank you very much Luk Lei
DeleteVery imaginative piece ... your tales with Alice always bring out something new to the scene.
ReplyDeleteThank you Amrit...she livens up a scene for sure ;)
DeleteWhat a combination of images and emotions. Dense with feeling & exceptionally well drawn snippets of life.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary - dense is the perfect word...when you can't see the light through the trees
DeleteA wonderful surreal write, most excellent.
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
Thank you most excellently Anna :)
DeleteGlitter in our hair
ReplyDeleteStones in our feet
A blizzard of secrets
A bully of words
Fantasies buried
Enchantment dead
Incredible couplets, these.
Thank you very much Sara
DeleteGreat write..the push and pull.. the unbearable tension... these lines
ReplyDelete"We creep around the edges Of our existence" are amazing, among many others..
We do indeed end up in a bit of a tussle with ourselves - thank you kindly Uma
Deletelike fairies, you and Alice :)
ReplyDeleteGlitter in our hair
Stones in our feet
Bad fairies probably 👸🏻 - thank you ladylee ;)
DeleteAiming straight is better than verbs and sewing....LOL
ReplyDeleteBingo!
I'd agree with that.
Thought so - we likey! Thanks Rallentanda
Delete