pyracantha

i'm basically romanticizing my antagonist + the plant pyracantha is also known as 'firethorn' which is cool

i don't feel like reading plath

i feel like reading yr mind

or changing the color of my eyes w magic

but how am i supposed to differentiate

between yr bedroom and the garden of eden

specifically the part where the snake swallows an apple

and makes our bodies blush like pyracantha

and now i'm thinking abt how u gave me thorns

or showed me how to grow them like wings

or strawberries or marijuana

likewise i recall w minor regret our regal touches

and (sacrificial/masochistic/circumstantial) affection

blame the fascinating chem experiments

we ingested willingly under the xmas lights

or the timing of mercury's retrograde

i don't feel like regurgitating the "Gory Details"

it's bad enough that i'm turning these synaptic sparks

into tangible memories which will eventually turn to dust

that's what i keep telling myself -

it's natural that we walked into the hands of deterioration

maybe we even did it on purpose

like the lil lambs we are

Author's Note

informal text-language, as always

Reviews

[Cyn]

This is what I'm talking about!

Love the "thorny" metaphor. Pyracantha is analogous to probably every relationship everyone has ever had. It's the first I'm reading of your writing and you're pretty slick. You seem to sneak some nice references in there.

Ending the poem with the personification of a lamb was ingenious because it's a perfect metaphor for naivete and inexperience (a lamb being a young sheep, of course).

Reminded me of my dorm in college, this poem. The experimenting, the looseness and the nonchalance.

I thought "minor regret" was powerful, because we never really regret these experiences, do we? Minor was a perfect adjective, because minor regrets mean inherent guilt we just can't explain.

And last but not least... did you just make a Sylvia Plath reference in the first line? If so, you're off the chain. We gotta talk!

Nice write. Will be back.
-Cyn

[kitty blur]

Dude, yes. That is definitely a Sylvia Plath reference. (I chose it because I used to read Plath when I was marginally upset or just feeling... stormy? It was a reference to my own prior behaviors, didn't really expect anyone to pay much attention to it. Thanks for noticing. She's one of my favorites.)

I'm glad that you liked my word choice - I may or may not become a lil proud of myself when I come up with certain lines. Sometimes, I think my brain is kind of cool.

Honored by the fact that my poem reminded you of your dorm room, honestly. Thanks so much for this comment. Made my night.

[Cyn]

I'm a huge fan of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Ever see the movie, Sylvia? Amazing picture.

[Richard🖌]

Hi, Kitty! : )
Just Richard, come for another of your uniquely You writes that have a way of sliding in under my skin, pulling me deep into you, into your moments of poetic fantasy that says so much more about you than the words.
I particularly enjoyed the cavalier, matter-of-fact air of this one, and the imagery one has no choice but relating to, even if they've never "been there, done that", it makes me feel as though I have, or for some appealingly irresistible reason, should have been there … doing it with you, that is.
You word choices and metaphor are amazingly descriptive, such as, " how am i supposed to differentiate between yr bedroom and the garden of eden" or "i recall w minor regret our regal touches and (sacrificial/masochistic/circumstantial) affection" … whew!
So much else I could mention (like everything), but suffice it to say that I love your word art … you're absolutely brilliant, and I am sure I'd marvel at living in your head for a day, or even for an hour … my-MY!

Thank you, Dear Poetess, for sharing your uniquely wondrous wares … hugs! ⁓ Richard

[AUU]

Never heard of a pyracantha. Plants are all kind of strange to me. Cool plant. Had to look it up to see what they looked like. I can see the inspiration.

Why the "informal text-language?" Just curious.

[kitty blur]

I write my poems informally because it feels... natural, I guess. I think writing this poem or any of my others in a more standard format would make them seem too serious, and I don't really want my poems to come across that way because I don't even take them too seriously myself. Most of my thoughts are silly and lucid and daydreamy, and I think I'd cut most of that out if I started to over-analyze my work. All I want to do is just type out my thoughts as they come and be as honest as possible, leaving almost none of my thought process out. Not sure if that makes sense, but thanks for asking because no one else has yet. :)

About the plant part: I looked up a bunch of plants with red berries and thorns (because that was the image I had in mind for some reason) and pyracantha came up. I was like, cool. Not only did I find a plant that matches what I'm looking for, but it has a kick-a*s name, too.

[AUU]

I do similar exercises sometimes. Just writing whatever down what comes to mind. Never did it with poetry though.

It helps shake stuff up when you're at a creative dead end.