The best
surprises are yet to come
We miss
the joy of thought
The skip
and trip of being
When we
were left alone to laugh like girls
Side
stepping the thorny issue of womanhood
Surrendering
to the floor
Laughing
and rolling
Sailing
in the archaic scent of silver and shine
We miss
the sweet deceit of powder
It was
the best thing we could do
The only
thing
The
sweetest thing
Bending
spoons in the heat of the afternoon
Following
our only path
Being
someone and all
We miss
the joy of thought
No two
alike
You know
it's just a different prison
The
laughing man said
Scanning
our eyes for weakness
Painted
nails and dirty shirts
Hmm, can
you trust him
Alice
fondles the hem of her dress
The
stitches are coming loose in slivers
Silly
No one
can be trusted in this house of fools.
Trust is hard won and so easily lost. Alice is right to keep on looking forward to the best surprises in life (rather than expecting disappointments). It is always good to read your work Jae as you and Alice give us a different view of life.
ReplyDeleteThank you Old Egg - we always appreciate your support
Delete"It's only a different prison" is a line that speaks to me........we all find ourselves, at some point, in prisons, sometimes of our own making. But the breaking out is a wonderful thing. Then we fly! I love Alice's presence in your poems. She is so full of life. Love the closing line very much. The one we need to learn to trust the most is - ourselves. Take care, my friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry as ever for your light and insight xo
DeleteThe hopelessness in these lines is almost tactile.
ReplyDeleteIt is a black situation - thanks Indybev
Deletea bird house, which is good for out poetic thoughts.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteWell, this is just chilling: "You know it's just a different prison/The laughing man said/Scanning our eyes for weakness" He's a sick predator. The contrast of the carefree laughing and having your own ideas, etc. to the ending lines is like a slap across the face. Makes my heart sink.
ReplyDeleteGayle
Thanks Gayle
DeleteLost trust is places such a dark curtain over the spirit. We must lift it if we are to thrive. I like how you poetically lifted the veil.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Susie
Delete"No one can be trusted in this house of fools." - indeed. But to see... Well crafted.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we will be surprised - thank you Martin
DeleteChilling and yet lines that speak volumes.. especially liked
ReplyDeleteSailing in the archaic scent of silver and shine...
Thanks Thotpurge
DeleteThe memories, though, sound sparkling – and the poem recreates them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rosemary
DeleteLove the longing in "Sailing in the archaic scent of silver and shine"...Lovely, wise Alice does her bit as always: Silly / No one can be trusted in this house of fools.
ReplyDeleteShe is a clever girl - Thanks Sumana
DeleteWe continue to believe that 'The best surprises are yet to come' even when we have long come to terms with 'the thorny issue of womanhood. Oh to be innocent again! Or maybe not...
ReplyDeleteA good question thanks Kim
DeleteSigh... I love the yearning in "Sailing in the archaic scent of silver and shine" .. Beautifully penned.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sanaa
DeleteNo one can be trusted in the house of fools - sounds a bit familiar to those of us in the U.S.A. unfortunately! Sigh.
ReplyDeleteSigh indeed - thanks Mary
DeleteIn the worst time of my drinking, there was an I Ching oracle, part of which said surrender is the only escape. Adulthood is inexorable -- we must go there -- but what must die, be lost, surrendered, crossing that bridge? For me it was letting to the actual: that any thing I dreamed must too be real. Freeing them to live with abandonment in paper realms, in the things we write for the rest of our lives .. All I'm saying is that there is too much that is precious in Alice to leave behind, like the speaker's joy and fascination and ability to enchant. I have to go work a day job, but that doesn't mean I can't swim deep oceans every morning from 4 to 6 a.m.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your supportive and understanding comment Brendan
DeleteYou have mastered the art of surreal story-telling.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kerry
DeleteBrilliant and yes, indeed the stitches "are coming loose in this house of fools"
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Pearl
DeleteA wonderful write, a brilliant read....you have outdone yourself!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Annell
DeleteWe miss the joy of thought
ReplyDeleteNo two alike
You know it's just a different prison
Freedom of thought and freedom of choice may go separate ways. It is a matter of which country you are in. Great observation Jae!
Hank
Thanks Hank
Delete"House of Fools" is a term becoming quite familiar with those of us in the U.S. We're all waiting for it to implode, I think.
ReplyDeleteI think so too - thanks IndyBev
DeleteAh, this has an Alice in Wonderland aspect to the narrative, but it's all mixed in with suburban or country kid--it's really quite wonderful how you subtly bring all the bits together. Thanks. Well done. k.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much K.
DeleteI love the detail of the hem, how in the middle of so much tension and life-changing things, the "normal" stuff still goes on... It has to.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully put thanks Magaly
DeleteI believe your last line says it all, especially for those of us in the U.S., who are enduring a whole ship of fools in charge of the government. NONE of them can be trusted. None.
ReplyDeleteI fear that's true thanks Magical
DeleteYou can trust in God....c'est ca !
ReplyDeleteMerci Beaucoup Cressida
Deletea chilling tale, Jae, but there might be hope somewhere...
ReplyDeleteI hope so thanks Ladylee
DeleteThere is hope but sometimes it seems to unravel like Alice's hem. So much to mistrust in this world. But as long as we trust ourselves, we'll be fine - I hope.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too thanks Toni
DeleteThe sweet days of yesterday that are sadly gone now.....that house of fools is White here and definitely not to be trusted....I pray it is vanquished soon.
ReplyDeleteDonna@LivingFromHappiness
I join your wishes - thank you Donna
Delete"...stitches coming loose...". Ah, you've captured America in this moment, Jae Rose.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah
DeleteGreat storytelling ...the last line perfect.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ayala
Delete"house of fools" - debating health care. All people have the right to affordable health care. jmo...
ReplyDeleteA very good opinion - thanks Truedessa
DeleteThere's little I can add to the comments before - it's all been said. If I were to single out one line it would be that which refers to stitches coming loose, a perfect metaphor for the times we live in.
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly Keith
DeletePerhaps all we can do is trust our s(elves) and the magic that lies therein. Beautiful writing.
ReplyDeleteI think that's true - Thank you Paul
Delete'We miss the joy of thought' ... brilliant ... the kind of line that unleashes an internal conversation.
ReplyDeleteWe continue to believe that 'The best surprises are yet to come' even when we have long come to terms with 'the thorny issue of womanhood. Oh to be innocent again! Or maybe not...
ReplyDeleteตารางคะแนนพรีเมียร์ลีก
There is hope but sometimes it seems to unravel like Alice's hem. So much to mistrust in this world. But as long as we trust ourselves, we'll be fine - I hope.
ReplyDeleteตารางคะแนนพรีเมียร์ลีก
Thanks Sok
DeleteThis is terrifying... especially after reading the poem just above. Argh.
ReplyDeleteIt is an argh moment - thanks Marian
ReplyDelete