At a poetry reading

By Shannan

Tue, 17 Jul 2012
  • 1012 reads
4 comments
 

At a poetry reading

I went to a poetry recital
Famous voices throwing soul
Using auspicious words
Metaphor after metaphor
Chefs of their context
Dripping symbolic symbol
Mixing in their experience
The visions de resistance

I didn’t see those visions
I wasn’t wrapped in fear
I haven’t fought with weapons
Or marched in political fear
I didn’t fight their struggle
I simply wasn’t there

I listened to their words
I observed their passion
I sat amongst the audience
With all their fingers snapping
But the words were so big
They said them so fast
I couldn’t take it all in
Or digest their complex past
Empathy whipped like cream
I held fragile, melted, imagery
I couldn’t savour all the taste
Too fast, too much, for me to face

My soul grieved at a reading
When all those exquisite flavours
Were stolen from me

Certificate U
Poem
Poetry
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
You have so very eloquently put into words how I felt at at least one poetry reading I have been to in the past. Your poem, however, lingered, long after I had read it. I liked these lines in particular:- "I couldn’t take it all in Or digest their complex past Empathy whipped like cream I held fragile, melted, imagery I couldn’t savour all the taste Too fast, too much, for me to face" Much enjoyed. Tina

 

Submitted by Sooz006 on
This is so evocative of wanting something and then being disappointed when it didn't touch you in the way that you'd hoped. Well written and something that most of us will relate to if not in recital, then just on here, reading other people's work. sometimes we want to understand but the words are just too rich and obscure.

 

Submitted by Shannan on
Thank-you Tina, I honestly felt an internal frustration at it all ... learning experience :-)

 

Submitted by Shannan on
Thanks Sooz, that's what I like about this site, that there is bound to be someone who will 'get it' :-) Agreed on not understanding many things...