Thursday, September 24, 2009

Like the Clay VI

I-III
IV
V
VI.
VII.

In the grocery store, I shatter
the purchased jars
of mayonnaise, mustard,
and jam, right there
at the checkout counter.
It has become habit
to bandage my hands.

In the fluorescent aisles,
the bones of my clavicles
show through the skin
like a secret everyone knows,
and inelegant whispers
follow me like cobwebs.

They say I have hope
stored away somewhere.

They are welcome
to come and find it.

(prompt via )

20 comments:

Irene said...

I feel so tickled by the humour there. Great tone.

anthonynorth said...

Those last lines are excellent.

gautami tripathy said...

Those bandaged hands kind of intrigue me!

tale of two toes

udernation said...

Very interesting, Nathan. I especially enjoyed the second stanza.

Unknown said...

Hi Nathan,

I like stanza 2 too!

Cynthia Short said...

Here is another ambiguose poem! Are you writing about someone very ill? Or mentally odd? That is what I really like about it!
Of course the last two lines are terrific!

Paul Oakley said...

mayonnaise, mustard, and jam, oh my!

I particularly like your lines:

It has become habit
to bandage my hands.

Anonymous said...

I don't know, a few performances like that, and they'll have you on mood stabilizers, Pan.

Anonymous said...

I love the surreal juxtaposition of the store and objects in it with the strange self-mutilating behaviors and strong voice, expansive ending.

Anonymous said...

I love "inelegant whispers / follow me like cobwebs"

Nathan said...

"Like a secret everyone knows" -- I like that a lot.

Unknown said...

I liked the "secret everyone knows" too. I am feeling empathy for this person. I am thinking about your poem Nathan, and reading it one more time. Thank you for giving voice to secrets.

Tumblewords: said...

I sense the desperation that clings to this image -

Anonymous said...

Such a dare! A powerful statement and stance. Interesting. Thanks.

Deb said...

I love the boldness, the image of someone doing that, what a scene it would make, and the narrator's calm "habit." Powerful stuff, to take the everyday and turn it on it's head.

I have to say I like every single part of this poem. Thanks for taking on the prompt.

Deb said...

(The jar series is marvelous. There is powerful stuff in them. What a series they would make.)

Raven's Wing Poetry said...

I like the language in this poem, in particular these lines:

"In the fluorescent aisles,
the bones of my clavicles
show through the skin
like a secret everyone knows"

and your last two lines. An enjoyable read.

-Nicole

Wayne Pitchko said...

good one...thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

The inaudible whispers line is lovely.

Anonymous said...

This is lovely and the ending is so wonderfully wry. Thanks for sharing it.