I’m sitting here alone, looking at pictures of you, and in between tears I can’t help but… chuckle, a little. Photographs are funny, in a way, flattened fractions of the smallest splinter of a second, some fluid experience sliced scantily into silent, fragmented frames. Flux is forgotten, and all that’s found in these lusterless mementos are simulations of memory, stop-frame fantasies, fill-in-the-blanks. And I have to ask myself, do I really remember you? Or is it myself that I’m remembering? Did I fill in your blanks?
What are you thinking about? Are you trying to remember me? You’re staring down at me, and I’m certain you’ve built a ‘me’ in your mind that might not match the me that you once had. I might have been the mother, the mistress, the maid, this multitude and a million women more, but all you have are these imprints, matte memories that you’ve manufactured. Memories are funny, in a way, always manufactured, the mind’s mask from the fact that the past has never been here and now, always distant and suspect. I didn’t want to live inside a lie. I’m frozen here, looking out at you, through the tears smeared across my face I can’t help but notice you… chuckle, a little.
Author notes
One person looking at a photograph, the other looks back. Written while experimenting with prose...enjoy!
A contest entry
- EVERYTHING GOES by Dubbs.
328 points, ended March 6, 2007, 9 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 15 of 15
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This is the second thing I have read from you.
And you are the first one I've come accros that makes me want to reed more of.
So that is what I'm going to do.
Love & peace -
I enjoyed what seemed the trade of personas. It was an interesting poem, looking in and out. Thank yous for sharing.
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excelent write
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musings
it almost ran like a dialougue with the other person
without his/her presence
'i didn't want to live inside a lie'
beautiful expression indeed
good verse in prose style -
Deserving of gold, congrats! I didn't know what Cake was so I was kind of looking for something else, LOL. I like the metaphors and everything else about the poetry.
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Cake was in reference to the contest it was entered in...one of the judge's favourite bands. It was not relevant to the poem.
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Bravo!
I really like everything about this work of art. The word selection sets everything up nicely. The imagery, emotion, and message work very well. Great write my poet friend. ~Peace~Gary -
Oh, and congrats on the gold trophy! you deserve it!
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Wonderful writing you hav here! You have summed up so may feelings that we get while in love (what is my love thinking about? is it me? etc). Just wonderful, really absolutely wonderful! I agree with the below comment that the flow was spectacular! Just a great job all in all!
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I'm not sure if this a poem, or what it is. But it is an excellent write. And I didn't find the CAKE line. But I didn't look for it, because your flow in the poem was so fluid.
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"I didn't want to live inside a lie" from She'll come back to me. Thanks for the trophy! XOXOXO
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I actually have thought about this, and been torn between documenting my life as if I were a preparing to be historian studying my early life to just letting what happens to most of us happen. Losing memories. It frightens me I can't remember some parts of my life.
The way you've written this is ... perfection. I like the description of a photo itself as "flattened fractions of the smallest splinter of a second". That is pure genius.
There aren't enough photos to document every second, and who knows, really, what might have been going on outside the frame?
Thanks for making me think!
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Thanks.
Thanks for thinking! If our poetry and prose isn't saying anything what's the point right? I'm glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate the comment!
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Heh... there is a reason why police regard eyewitness testimony to be one of the least reliable forms of evidence. We all "fill in the blanks", often times with what we expect. For example, a left-handed witness may remember the gun being in the robber's left hand, vice-versa for a right-handed witness. One detective I spoke with was working a case where the same suspect was described as having "the biggest nose you ever saw" and having "the smallest nose you ever saw", depending on which witness you spoke with.
In any case... I think you've highlighted a human reality with this piece. Sorry if my comment here is too clinical.
Good luck in your future works.
~Das -
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It's all good, I'm a very literal person and have studied a lot on this phenomenon in school. Thanks for the response.
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