Alice waves her flag
It's a kind of totem
We are coming home
Whatever that means
We swallow silver stars
Pray for new beginnings
Herald a new dawn
Colours flapping in the pale cool night
The four walls contain us
Some days it's a prison
Others a haven
We are our own country
Lost
Stranded
Bereaved
Alice waves the flag above her head
It's a kind of totem
We are coming home.
"Pray for new beginnings / Herald a new dawn"...At least this is true for my country. We've been doing this for the last seventy one years. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThis sure does focus the mind. You covered the ups and downs of being 'our own country'. I like!
ReplyDeleteOh, we are indeed our own country — this speaks to me of the alienation from set demarcated structures and how we as individuals have to abide by our own uncertainties and ways of life as a priority.
ReplyDelete"Lost/Stranded/Bereaved": So powerful and emotive.
-HA
"We are our own country" that line strikes chords of alienation upon the heart, yet there is "Alice waving her own flag" a kind of sassy defiance
ReplyDeleteVery interesting juxtaposition of images. Jae have a good Wednesday
Much🌺love
You've captured both the positives and negatives of the flag flapping above--it IS a herald of a new dawn, yet it tends to isolate within solid boundaries. And there is the citizen within, happy for a totem, and yet somehow sad and bewildered--or resigned.
ReplyDeleteI love the swallowing of silver stars and praying for new beginnings. And I feel the bereavement, the room being both prison and haven. Your writing is so beautiful, and moving.
ReplyDeleteThe joy of being in a democratic country is being ruled by someone you didn't vote for, don't like, does things that affect the way you live, and costs you too much; just so you can say I live in a free country! However it is slightly better than other options. Meanwhile it looks from your poem, you have declared independence!
ReplyDeleteThe change of tone in your poem waves and then droops like a flag, Jae, starting with the 'major chord' cheerfulness of:
ReplyDelete'Alice waves her flag
It's a kind of totem
We are coming home',
which is then modulated by the phrase 'Whatever that means'. The direction finally changes with:
'We swallow silver stars
Pray for new beginnings'
which finally takes on a minor key:
'We are our own country
Lost
Stranded
Bereaved'.
And Alice stays optimistic...
Keep waving! (Not drowning). If you don't know what home means, you'll have to reach it in order to find out. Prison or haven? I think home is a place safe enough to retreat to when desired without it becoming a prison, and free enough to go out from when desired, knowing the haven may always be returned to. And maybe there is not just one.
ReplyDeleteYour words are deeply profound Jae and I love them, despite the fact they are sad and make me emotional.
ReplyDeleteThe four walls, I understand this, although must state that my four walls are my haven, my country. But I do know that for some, many(?), the walls they inhabit are indeed a prison.
I do hope your prayers are answered.
Kind regards
Anna :o]