November 20th, 2008
emotion jars
There is no trinket box large enough
to house conflicted memories.
It could be months before smiles surface,
until happiness is invited to dine.
You tolerate worms in me
as if they inhabit skin.
They will never die
while you feed their memory.
Like fractured bones, conversation
is splintered in its cast.
Your disappointment is enamel-
coated with instruction: drive safely.
Wood between us calcifies
while my regret is bubble-wrapped,
packed in boxes with Christmas cards
and notes left on Thursday’s pillow.
Forgiveness is the Cabernet
we keep in a cellar we don’t own.
Silence settles into flesh
like stinging nettles on a thigh.
Soup, a weary substitute for wasted
days that could be warmed by touch.
Instead we fill our bellies with meals
that smell like home, and seal emotion
inside cookie jars where it has come to this.
Emotion Jars first appeared in The Pedestal Magazine, issue seventeen: 2003
related writing:
Lovely, Cands – and sad. I particularly like the second stanza:
Like fractured bones, conversation
is splintered in its cast.
Your disappointment is enamel-
coated with instruction: drive safely.
Wood between us calcifies
while my regret is bubble-wrapped,
packed in boxes with Christmas cards
and notes left on Thursday’s pillow.
Michelles last blog post..National Book Award for Poetry
This is beautiful Candy!
Jeffs last blog post..November 19, 2008
wow.
The thing about Human Beings is… we’re human. We suffer moments of weakness and lapses in judgement. We also have the ability to forgive nearly any deed. This poem speaks with a halting voice, the eyes turned downward to avoid contact, the mannequin smiles that hide the fact that our mind is packing a suitcase. We do these things because life goes on and we have to learn to stay in the saddle. Silence is the only sure demise. The might of silence throws dirt on the coffins of us all.
This is one of my favorites among your work … and the words that always catch in my throat (even though I don’t actually read them out loud) are “you tolerate.” It truly lends to the continued state of emotions and separation anxieties that complete this piece. Truly one of my favorites. I both love and hate this piece. You know what I mean?!??!
anne cunninghams last blog post..Don’t stay in bed, unless …
This is so fine at capturing that moment in a relationship – like Michelle I find the second stanza unforgettable. Have you ever read Eugenio Montale – his early poems have incredible images of barriers between people.
Thank you!
John
John Ds last blog post..Who’s Watching Me?
Some very nice work there Candy.
Emotions of the heart can bring out some beautiful but sad writing.
Keep up the good work!
Craig Smiths last blog post..The Stonegarden Site has been upgraded
“Forgiveness is the Cabernet
we keep in a cellar we don’t own.”
one of my favorite lines. beautiful expression…
Candi – Did you go to Rosebank Primary school – Neptune house?
Dear Child of God:
Once again we are getting together a petition to ban Relax Max and that vile pub of his from the internet. You look like a decent God-fearing young lady, so if you would just sign here please.
Speaking of vile, I note with great satisfaction that you seemed to have banned Richard from commenting. Bravo.
God bless you
PS – That’s some fine poetry too. My regret is almost always bubblewrapped, so I definitely identify, my dear. Ummmm… do you have a church home at this time? I would offer my personal tutelage if you do not. Call anytime.
Vicar Ezras last blog post..A conversation with God
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them a lot. I wrote this a long time ago, and never thought much of it myself… until Pedestal Mag paid me a whole 30 dollars to publish it, that is. It’s the most expensive poem I’ve ever written. Go figure.
Good Lord Vicar (Max-moo) by now you should know that I am not a god-fearing lady at ALL! On the contrary I am a source-loving human being, silly! And no, I didn’t ban Richard from commenting. He thinks that my blog caught fire and these are the ashes…
sjoe… thats quite a read!
angels last blog post..Revenge Of The Eternally Curious
Youch! Those last three lines really have power. My breathing grew shallower with each line of the poem and by the end I was nearly holding my breath. You don’t let us off easily, no easy releasing sigh after a cleansing deep breath. I had to do that for myself. Which may be the crux of the message, at least for me.
Lydias last blog post..for every pulse a thanksgiving
Liked two particular mixtures of words a lot
‘Thursday’s pillow’
and
‘a meal that feels like home’
it is nice to be here…
Tanuj Solankkis last blog post..
Yes! That’s it, Lydia. Thank you for getting it.
Hi Tanuj, it’s great to have you here.
Excellent Plath like imagery. Great stuff.
Jodapoets last blog post..Sleep Travel
Luv this! You’ve packed a lifetime of imagery into 3 stanzas…beautiful writing, Candy….cheers
!
Ashe.Selahs last blog post..Thanksfaking
Thanks so much Joda and Ashe. I’m glad you both enjoyed the read.
I adore the imagery. It’s rich and familiar but pushes the boundaries of that familiarity, opening doors. There is a great deal of beauty in letting that light into places that so often, perhaps too often, go unnoticed – least of all are genuinely touched.
Catatonic Kids last blog post..Better Pieces.
Hi CK… you recognise what so few really can… that makes me happy. Thank you for reading.