We Come to Understand
We come to understand
slowly
The great coming-of-age epiphanies
never really there
But, nevertheless, we come to understand
Steam rising from the lake at dusk
swirling like the smoke from
her cigarette and wicker furniture
lines on the bottom of my thighs
We came to understand
understand that she loves a man
we can never meet
Understand that, though the alcohol
attached itself to blood cells,
sprinted through lungs,
and rode on carbon dioxide out his mouth,
so the whole family could smell his liquor,
he was loved
We came to understand,
on those sticky summer evenings
those messy, melting periods
between tired days and lively nights.
Those evenings of conversation
when nothing was taboo
That's when we came to understand
We come to understand
slowly
on slow evenings
when the moon tastes sticky sweet
on wicker furniture and cigarette smoke
with our lonely Woman
we come to understand.
Ok, so I know exactly what I'm talking about. Do you?
Should I use more poetic devices or is it OK?
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I think I know what you are talking about. I like it, and I don't think you need to add more poetic devices. I like you imagery it is very nice and descriptive.
ReplyDeleteI feel confused when you begin talking about "her" and then "his" and so on.
ReplyDeleteBut I love the imagry, although I think you would do well to develope it and help it to run a bit more smoothly.
i think that it is ok the way it is for poetic devices.
ReplyDeleteVery good imagery. Love the steam from the lake. So neat.
ReplyDeleteIt is a little confusing, but poems dont necessarily have to be clear by the first read. Just play up the key points that hint at the overall idea.
First read: I get out of it that she is in love with a man who comes off as a bad person to others because he drinks and such.. and they can never know him like she does because she has that emotional relationship. But she is lonely in the end? Unrequited love?
Then re reading: I feel like maybe he's dead? But I dont know.. I think if he was dead in the part where you talk about his lungs and such have be more like the alcohol is sprinting out of his lungs.. because thats what I went back to evidence his death and makes me question if he really is dead..
Its good though. Just draw out some key things.
I do enjoy subtlety.
I think i get what your saying and i love your imagery
ReplyDelete