I am not a eighteen year old girl,
slipping into tights which elongate my legs.
Placing my hair into a silky bouquet
sensing his eyes wash over me like breath;
held between his senses for a second,
released as a tumble of heels at the station.
Today I awoke in a house with walls flat on their side,
my brother already left for school
traces of his mathematics set across the kitchen table.
His protractor makes a point;
my mother cups it in her palm like his memory is contained in silver.
Upstairs my bed is a hexagonal tip,
your body's shadow flickers across my sheets.
I am not ready for this screening-
don’t take my skin and flash it back at me like a mirror.
Today I am not an eighteen year old girl,
my papery flesh is fragile, crumbled like an old poem.
But you've read my words before and there is nothing new to learn.
Comments
Highhat | November 10, 2011 - 07:06
Very good Beeme. I think you mean "body's"
Cavalcaderl | November 10, 2011 - 09:06
new Beeme
Really enjoyed this poem.
Written well.
But as I am slow at learning?
Could or would it read better,
The shadow of your 'body'
flicker's across the sheets.
In the third stanza, 2nd line.
Like all the images brought in
so well. Or leave as you like it.
congrats: on the cherry!
julie xx
Beeme | November 10, 2011 - 12:25
Thank you Highhat and Julie. It is body's, changed it. Thank you for the cherry eds :)
Beeme xx
Silver Spun Sand | November 10, 2011 - 18:10
A well-deserved cherry, Beeme. Very much enjoyed;-)
Tina xx
Beeme | November 10, 2011 - 18:56
Thank you very much Tina, glad you liked :)
beeme xx
fatboy74 | November 11, 2011 - 01:44
great poem - fantastic ending. :-)
MistakenMagic | November 11, 2011 - 12:44
"a tumble of heels at the station"
- love this image, Beeme. Another beautiful poem - well done on the cherry ;-)
Magic xxx
Beeme | November 11, 2011 - 17:34
Thank you very much Fatboy and Magic. Very happy you enjoyed :)
Beeme xx
Nolan | December 17, 2011 - 20:08
Not bad! Congratulations on so many cherries Beeme! Really impressive. "I am not eighteen"? So how old are you- today?
& Nolan
Beeme | December 17, 2011 - 21:09
I felt about three, like a toddler or something. So young and so unsure. Thanks Nolan
Beeme x
Nolan | December 19, 2011 - 12:43
Oh. Ok. I thought that you might be nineteen. Nineteen sounds a lot older than eighteen doesn't it? I am past my prime 53. Next one 59.
Cheers!
Nolan | December 19, 2011 - 19:08
Nineteen also is a prime number. I am 21 I was born yesterday the generation gap and whatnot.
All the best! Nolan
PS. To be honest I find your poetry quite bizarre, but I am glad everyone likes it so much. No offence meant please.
Beeme | December 19, 2011 - 20:27
Aha no offence taken Nolan, I don't even understand my poetry :)
Beeme