This Is Not An Elegy - Day 13

[Janet 77]

This Is Not An Elegy

 

At 14 I questioned everything.

Everything never answered.

 

At 19 I watched my life blow away

like an old barn

in a hurricane,

graceless and immediate.

 

At 30 I knew

exactly who I was;

mother times two

preacher’s wife

mother’s daughter

Daddy’s half-orphaned child.

 

If I only made sense

in relation to others

it was sense enough.

 

50 came quicker than expected.

Children grown and relocated,

preacher dead and gone,

orphaned on all fronts.

Let the floundering begin.

Marry again

 in haste.

Move a time or two.

Smile

until my heart goes numb.

 

I never saw 60 coming.

Everything boomeranged 

bringing every answer

I never knew

I didn’t want.

 

Today it is Now O’clock

and I am here,

a weary patchwork

of stars and poetry

held together by mis-

matched thread

frayed edges and dreams

that have seen 

better days.

 

Today

I know everything

    and she’s a bitch. 

[Tracy Mitchell]

So 'everything' comes clear -- what a solid ending to a marvelous poem. Your expressiveness is so evident here.

And welcome back.

T

[DocCon]

This was powerful and great! It made me laugh and nod and say yes and yes again. Well done.

[Sharon Leigh]

I feel this poem, I'm on about 50

This bit I loved:

"At 19 I watched my life blow away
like an old barn
in a hurricane,
graceless and immediate."

It's the "graceless" that got me. It's so true. So many times there is no dignity involved with life's caprice. Well written.

[ajduclos]

I feel it more intimately than I'd like to let on - wonderful writing.
Aj

[Lecram06]

This Is Not An Elegy

 

At 14 I questioned everything.

Everything never answered.

 

At 19 I watched my life blow away

like an old barn

in a hurricane,

graceless and immediate.

 

At 30 I knew

exactly who I was;

mother times two

preacher’s wife

mother’s daughter

Daddy’s half-orphaned child.

 

If I only made sense

in relation to others

it was sense enough.

 

50 came quicker than expected.

Children grown and relocated,

preacher dead and gone,

orphaned on all fronts.

Let the floundering begin.

Marry again

 in haste.

Move a time or two.

Smile

until my heart goes numb.

 

I never saw 60 coming.

Everything boomeranged 

bringing every answer

I never knew

I didn’t want.

 

Today it is Now O’clock

and I am here,

a weary patchwork

of stars and poetry

held together by mis-

matched thread

frayed edges and dreams

that have seen 

better days.

 

Today

I know everything

    and she’s a bitch. 

Janet,
The lines " bringing every answer / I never knew / I didn't want" told me to listen to this poet who faces fear fearlessly and to trust her. You grabbed me my the throat but not to strangle me. Merci,  Marcel

[HLemma]

Wow. This is courageous writing. Thank you.

[Deb]

I feel it more intimately than I'd like to let on - wonderful writing.
Aj

Me too. Powerful writing that speaks to me in heaps. Very well done. 
~Deb