"Here on this ring of grass we have sat together, bound by the tremendous power of some inner compulsion. The trees wave, the clouds pass. The time approaches when these soliloquies shall be shared. We shall not always give out a sound like a beaten gong as one sensation strikes and then another. Children, our lives have been gongs striking; clamour and boasting; cries of despair; blows on the nape of the neck in gardens."
-Virginia Woolf
The Waves (1931), pp. 39-40
.
I never made it to the lighthouse
your words ate at my brain
as mice chewed holes
in the last of my memoirs.
Now I drown
with only stars by my side -
the ones he drew on me
while he counted my ribs
and pronounced me "woman"
on the day we conceived
and happiness bled from our pores
only to turn sour.
I am empty.
If the waves suffocate me
I shall open the book to page one; begin again
and let my words be the salt of debauched literature;
the embryo of truth.
.
Author notes
prompt:
Swallow Me and Spit Me Out by Princess of Shadows, deviantart
For those of you who don't know, Virginia Woolf (English Novel- & Essayist) committed suicide by drowning on March 28, 1941. She is the first thing I thought of when I looked at the above picture prompt.
In a list
- {Starts With T} • next in list
- {Free Verse} • next in list
- {Trophies: Gold} • next in list
- VI. Ex-Files: Break-up Poems & Poems That Were Too Good To Destroy • next in list
A contest entry
- Click 43. by perfectsunset.
625 points, ended August 25, 13 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
-
Very nicely done, I can see why it grabbed the Golden chalice. Excellent imagery and flow, an excellent take on the prompt. All around a winner... Scott
-
Wow; I am stunned. I am speechless.
This was absolutely amazing. Truly
brilliant work and I just love where
you took this.. very far-edged
& originally conveyed. A nice
historical rim to this as well.
I love how you brought forth
literature and how this photo
brought you to Virginia Woolf.
Love this.
Best of luck & thanks for entering
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