Rewriting

Based on themes from 'The Wide Sargasso' Sea by Jean Rhys (O'beah is a spell in the West Indies)

Rewriting

Germs of insanity

spill from lips

swelled and dark.

The legacy of imperialism

casts its o’beah

where my horse

lays dead

under the frangipani.

This parochial colonialism

casts me intemperate,

unchaste,

imprisons my soul

in a foreign land.

No voice

for the marginalised,

dream like images

resonate in the flames.

 

08/09/12

Author's Note

In 'The Wide Sargasso Sea' Jean Rhys rewrote a character from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre because she did not feel it had expressed her well enough and was racist in its neglect. My poem tells the tale in a few chosen words all adopted from the commentary and the Penguin Student Edition of the novel .

Reviews

[Mark]

You've chosen just the right words to convey a feeling of who Antoinette was I think. A sad story for sure. Enjoyed reading this.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Mark I stole the words and inserted them into a poem!

[Geraldine]

I so liked your choices of words. Thumbs up for you. :))

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Me likey thumbs! Thank you!

[Nicky Sarti]

"o’beah" S**t am I glad you didn't ask me to read that out...
Dude, what are you trying to do to me?
I can't be carrying around a dictionary with me every time I read your stuff...
Be gentle with me hun, you know I ain't into all them long big words ~ now long big hugs are a different matter of course!!!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hey, hey, Thanks Nicki

[Yheela]

I read it at Uni, not my favourite story.
I do like how she chose to tell the story of the crazy woman in the attic.
Your text made no sense at first, but after reading your note it DOES make sense.
Well penned.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Yheela. Glad to hear you are having fun my girl. keep it up!

[.]

Great job, John. The imagery is truly magnificent.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Many thanks Cord

[Bewitching Sensations]

very well done.. alot of thought went into this

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thanks Ruth

[Bewitching Sensations]

:)

[SHEEMA HUQ]

this is a beautifully crafted clever write, well done

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Sheema

[Heather]

Love this side of your writing, its very intellectual. I happy to be a huge fan of the book Jane Eyre so this to me was very appealing, it makes me want to read the book you mentioned. Of course the first line gripped me and held me to the finish of the poem, well done taking of a story and creating poetry from it.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Heather. I try not to get too boxed in in my writing. Like to explore all sorts of topics.

[Anonymous Girl]

Wonderful...
"Germs of sanity" I like it. Really cool :)
Keep writing :)
100/100

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Your kindness is so gracious. many thanks

[Anonymous Girl]

My pleasure :)