Rippers

It always starts
with fingers crossed and teeth clenched.
It always starts with malfunctioned memories.

We are in the business of burning bridges.

and this spot that we keep pushing is sore.
It is ancient
and poignant
like artwork.
like you are
when you are on.

I was once a chalice
and you filled me
But our cup runneth over
over and over
it spills
onto the sheets
already stained
with the splatters
of regrets
each drop is a drag,
a drug, a death.

It always starts
with a rib broken...

We are in the business of snapping necks.

Reviews

[The Cougar's Den]

We are in the business of burning bridges.
and this spot that we keep pushing is sore. ---- I love these two lines!

We are in the business of snapping necks. -- See, now, I don't see the literal meaning here; what I see is, two beautiful young women who cause men's necks to snap when they walk by. Snap!

It always starts
with a rib broken,,, --- And you say, 'But what about this line?' To me, that proves I'm right, for what comes right before a head snap? The sucking in of the breath as you see the young women approach!

But, of course, as the author only you know the true meaning. Personally, I think it's about love, or at least, lust....

It always starts
with fingers crossed and teeth clenched.

like you are
when you are on.

But our cup runneth over
over and over

Great write, any way you meant it! Terrific job!

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I'm too old to have my neck snapped but I'd set down my whiskey to offer the lady a chair. Great piece of clandestine goddess worship going on here. I love it!

[Poet's World]

are we really snapping EVERYONE"S neck? or just the ones who deserve it???? nice poem.

[Charles]

You might guess that I'm browsing tonight, following up on recommendations of writers by L/W. She hit it on the head when she put your name on the list. This is as intriguing as the other one of yours I read (and coincidentally also deals with ribs). Perhaps the rib cage and the heart it encapsulates is part of a recurring theme for you. The twist at the end seems to be, the rather graphic (not gruesome or sexual, but graphic) reference to body parts seems to be. I like your style and so far the themes. I'll look around for more of your work. I also learned something tonight - what a ripper is (not so strange, I didn't know until several months ago what a cougar is (poetry is very very good for me). :-) :-)

[PianoandPage]

amazing. i am a fan of your themes. sometimes repeated metaphors or images get old and stale but you manage to keep them fresh. the bruise on our hearts only heals when we keep the oranges and purples and greens fresh with our writing.

there are a few things though.

i would consider ending it with "it always starts with a rib broken". the final line here i think could work more effectively after the "we are in the business of burning bridges." just something to consider.

also a small thing... but maybe switch "it is ancient" to "it's ancient". the extra syllalbl tripped me up. not needed and i think it would help the flow of your piece.

all in all though, you are striking with your imagery. edgy (as many have said already). you remind me of my wife's writing... (you can find her as cutedeath).

[cilla]

I know the slang "rippers" means a sexually nasty female and there is that but there is more going on here. I think the gift of your words is not to try and decipher each line or symbol but rather to let the poem as a whole unique entity wash over you and let your feelings guide.

To me it all makes perfect sense but � please � don't ask me to explain. My understanding is on a whole different level.

[Jonathan Ballam]

Wow I love the unusual twist in this poem, how it turns from morbid to horrific. Loved the last line "We are in the business of snapping necks". This is an interesting collage of a few styles tied together.

Great work :)

[LJW]

Good God woman, I can't tell for sure what this is about...could be characters called "Rippers" or a metaphor, but no matter because it rocks nonetheless. Especially this:

it spills
onto the sheets
already stained
with the splatters
of regrets
each drop is a drag,
a drug, a death.

It always starts
with a rib broken,,,

We are in the business of snapping necks.

[Flo_writer]

This one really makes you think, your metaphors were well place and the flow was smooth, sad, and intriguing to the senses. For some reason I'm reminded of a cigarette commercial in comparison to this. Maybe because they are in the business of killing. Anyway I really like this one. Well done.

[Silvario]

very very interesting. im not much for interpreting poetry so i wont venture a speculation on some of the wonderfuly penned lines here. what i will say is that in my humble opinion you are one talented author. you write in such a beautiful fluid manner. this piece flows in a smooth and pleasingly fast paced tempo that seems to add to the strength of the message - which again, ill only internaly attenpt to interperate.

very well done indeed :)

[Marie Anzalone]

I get the sense of two people not so much in *love* as in deep attachment to each other, the relationship the addiction, adept at bringing out each other's cruelest instincts. Is he also a drug addict? Very well done.. this evokes for me very powerful emotions of the insanity of relationships to cruel men, where you either learn to shield the heart and dance, cut loose, or slowly lose the vital part of yourself in the downward spiral.