Wednesday, October 13, 2010

one 's' or two?




Life is a circle,  
old as my tongue,
and older than my teeth,
a game out of joint, twitching
like an ancient Ferris wheel.
Is this checkers or chess?
Curses pass between us
like kisses. Is Picasso
spelled with one 's' or two?
I hide to avoid
the ignorant, count to three
slowly, like in a movie,
then step away from the crazy.
My naked hope
takes the queen and elopes
from a Tupperware world,
flying wild from this window,
to join a flock of passing geese.



Tess Kincaid
October 13, 2010







98 comments:

  1. A terrific poem, Willow, spare and a direct hit on what appears to be the intended target!

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  2. Willow,
    I would have been first here if Blogger hadn't been napping, but # 2 is ok too!
    "My naked hope
    takes the queen and elopes
    from a Tupperware world,"
    Fall ignites the imagination to once again flee from the doldrums of day to day monotony.
    If it's checkers I'm in but if chess it is I concede mate, but not the time played.
    rel

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  3. At the risk of repeating Rel,

    "My naked hope
    takes the queen and elopes
    from a Tupperware world,"

    really struck a chord. I'm so excited to start these up again!

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  4. That open door is such a temptation to flee! I agree!

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  5. Cool! Here's mine
    http://thelunaticsdiary.blogspot.com/2010/10/kirimas-dangerous-honeymoon.html

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  6. Ah, to fly with the wild geese and run with the wolves...

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  7. This one resonates so well with the open dutch door...every line works with the last "to join a flock of passing geese"!

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  8. ..or get in the car and drive!

    just beautiful

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  9. "curses pass between us like kisses"

    ah yes I remember those days

    "Flying wild from this window"

    how often I have wished to do this, fly wild, step away from the crazy.And sometimes the crazy is within too.

    Love the Janet Frame quote.

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  10. Beautiful poem--"spare," as George said, but in the best way.

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  11. May I join you and the geese?

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  12. Absolutely, Ruth. Let's hit the skies!

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  13. Rel, I prefer chess to checkers, but I'll play either, being the Libra that I am!

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  14. I've been on a Ferris wheel like that - twitching is the perfect description. I shudder at the memory.

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  15. Willow--

    I love the image of eloping from a Tupperware world...

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  16. That touches my life so perfectly right now. I finished my little project today (hint) it will be flying your way tomorrow. K

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  17. From a tupperware world, lol. One day it will not be like that! Honest writing!

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  18. I enjoyed your poem, Willow. I do sometimes think it would be nice to leave this Tupperware world and join a flock of geese. Such freedom, and what a view!

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  19. One has to fly with the geese now and then.....beautiful poem.

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  20. Thank goodness...every poem of yours, every prompt, provides an escape. You keep doing good deeds...

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  21. "Curses pass between us
    like kisses." Love this!

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  22. '...elopes
    from a Tupperware world,
    flying wild from this window,
    to join a flock of passing geese.'

    Very nice, Willow. :-)

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  23. "...My naked hope ...elopes from a Tupperware world...to join a flock of passing geese."
    I think you are speaking in collectives right here, for all of us who are tired of curses and ignorance.

    Can we join you?

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  24. reading the poem seems like i am with alice in wonderland. marvellous!

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  25. that is one wild, great escape :)

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  26. You are right about life being a game out of joint!

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  27. Very our times poem. I have lived it. I'll take my drive now, breath some fresh air and turn on the radio..
    yvonne

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  28. Dear Willow: There is a distinct angst in this poem, a futility yet an escape is offered. The persistence of memory; great image with the ancient Ferris wheel that repeats the circle image. Mind is confused, between "checkers or chess" "one 's' or two? "Count to three" like life is a child's game, trying to hold onto the fantasy of one's eternalized dreams and "naked hope". "Elopes" with the "passing geese". There is an erotic energy and difinitive gypsy spirit here with "flying wild" This poem is an excellent evocative of unrealized dreams. There is a self-imposed limitation in exile in this poem. Sounds like the self-examination found in middle age hence the 50's "tupperware" world of the somewhat montonous, boring conventionality world of the everyday which yearns with an eternal heart to break free from the chaos of continual sameness which can get "crazy"! Wholly relate!

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  29. Dr. Chicco, when you count to three, will I be fully awake? ;^)

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  30. Can I just say, "What chiccoreal said"?
    And the sort of poem I like, very much.

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  31. Love the ending, "naked hope" can't be a bad one to elope with (or can s/he?); in any case, a Tupperware world begs to be eloped from IMO, no matter who or what's out there.

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  32. Yeah, I hate Tupperware. For one thing, it's overpriced plastic, made to seal in (or out) the freshness. I just had to use it in this piece. It fit my message perfectly.

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  33. love the eloping from a tupperware world....heaven help us all on that....that is most of us write...I believe ...bkm

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  34. Beautiful. Just loved it.

    Best,
    Shail

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  35. Geese?

    Swans, more like it. ;)

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  36. But the flock of flying geese are highly organised and wouldn't want a fly by night free spirited escapee causing havoc in their slipstream. Besides which, they are a noisy squawking bunch and you'll soon wish you were back with plastic.Be really free and fly with and be where eagles dare...it's a rarified atmosphere.

    I'm trying to analyse what makes your poetry so compelling. Help me out someone!

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  37. Your poem is mysterious and seductive. Like my favourite season: autumn. :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  38. Dear Willow, The Tupperware World....now that is something that needs to be escaped from, naked or otherwise!

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  39. I could willing join the flying geese today! Thanks for opening the window - or door- for us all, with this prompt! :)

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  40. "elopes from a Tupperware word" is such a telling line!

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  41. But just think of all those Tupperware parties when one's very life depended on having the right container. They solved all of life's woes. Really!

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  42. Burning off the dross!
    setting the strange fragments
    from dreams-to- waking, free...
    need only taste the left over images for a few moments; and if one remains longer
    just remain with it until it has done its job! Thanks! Great Magpie.

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  43. Dear Willow,
    I am in a surreal dream and your poem is right at home.

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  44. I like your closing line....the sweetest! Thanks

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  45. Aw, Jeff, you're so sweet. Actually, I do love that piece by Edna St. Vincent Millay about the wild swans. But geese, rhymed! :)

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  46. All those poor dashed Tupperware parties. Thanks for the giggles, Derrick!

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  47. Oh heck! Just get into my jet and lets fly home...loved these lines..

    'then step away from the crazy.My naked hope
    takes the queen and elopes
    from a Tupperware world'

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  48. What a great opening line:
    "Life is a circle, old as my tongue,
    and older than my teeth". That is probably something that would not cross the minds of most people!

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  49. I often spend hours flying with the geese, feeing tupperware ... An open door is such an invitation, as is your lovely poem.

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  50. That should be 'fleeing' ... my l absconded right through that door ...

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  51. My naked hope
    takes the queen and elopes
    from a Tupperware world,
    flying wild from this window,
    to join a flock of passing geese.

    cool lines,
    love the imagery and matching words.
    thanks for the stunning tale.

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  52. My dear, your poems are superb.

    I also love that you read Rilke, too few people do outside of the German speaking world. Thank you for valuing my favourite poet.

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  53. Willow,

    Nice piece. Interesting possibilities for the mismatch. By all means, fly!

    Trulyfool

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  54. This makes me think of my poem from the other day (although of course mine is, um, not quite as poetic). It would be a Devious Detour indeed to fly away with the geese - tupperware be damned!

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  55. Gosh, I thought I had made my comment
    on this marvelous poem of yours,
    but it seems that it must be over on
    the Magpie side of your cyber pie.
    This piece is riddled with fantasy
    and angst and hubris and love,
    partly cinematic like most of the
    things you envision, iconography
    strong in our nose hairs;
    and those curse kisses could have
    been passed from Henry Miller
    or Dennis Miller or Denis Leary,
    and be positive, in some warped
    and darkly humorous way,
    and even though you /hide to
    avoid the ignorant/ bitches of
    stupidity, rap, and Madison
    Avenue still seek you out, even
    there in the solace of the manor,
    for the media streams its brew
    into the quiet corners of your
    domicile and your cortex, and
    so like you /I count to three,
    like in a movie/ and wait that
    nano second for the scene
    to change.

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  56. willow, this poem so completely rocks.

    your talent takes my breath away girl.

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  57. "...a game out of joint, twitching
    like an ancient Ferris wheel." Boy, does this conjure up a picture or three?

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  58. I'll join the geese with you, let's leave the Tupperware behind!

    Love the details in this one, Willow!

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  59. you are so talented...
    I know ,
    I think I've said that before... but it's true

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  60. So much good stuff in this poem. Whenever I write a poem I find myself flying with the geese.

    HERE IS MINE


    PG

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  61. Geese are the code for autumn, I think! This is a delightful poem - particularly like 'elopes from a Tupperware world'. Creatively current!

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  62. Love the poem Willow, so much sibilance and your imagery is beautiful...

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  63. Right about now...I'd love to join a flock of geese.

    Great poem!

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  64. I too would join you in fleeing from a tupperware world and fly with the geese!

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  65. We are very lucky to have Magpie.
    Wonderful piece!

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  66. 'count to three
    slowly, like in a movie,
    then step away from the crazy'. You have my permission... not that you need it. Ummm...Honk if you are with the geese! :D

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  67. love the meaty imagery. such fun tumbling words out of mouth

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  68. So much vibrant imagery in this poem - phrases leap out and catch in the memory. Plagiarism beware ;-)

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  69. Lovely poems and thoughtful penetrating words

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  70. Breathtaking....especially the last 5 lines..read it many times and enjoyed every time..

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  71. gorgeous turns of phrase in here--I especially like "old as my tongue, / and older than my teeth" and "a Tupperware world".

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  72. what a wonderful poem - escape dreams, hope...desperate housewives meet the shawshank redemption!!

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  73. I agree with the lines ...I hide to avoid/ the ignorant ...
    I do that 2. Smtimes it is more than I can bear 2 hear them.

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  74. Brilliant!
    "My naked hope" is one of the best lines I've read...

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  75. My my my my my....

    how this line speaks to me...

    >>>>>
    Curses pass between us
    like kisses. Is Picasso
    spelled with one 's' or two?
    >>>>>

    Lovely...

    My better late than never Magpie for this week.

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  76. Just love all the images in this one Willow....off with the geese we go! :-)

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  77. Strange, strange - life imitating art: as I hit that last verse a skein of about 20 geese flew over the house and away across the fields, honking away!

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  78. Strange, strange - life imitating art: as I hit that last verse a skein of about 20 geese flew over the house and away across the fields, honking away!

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  79. love the combined imagery of the need to flee and the flock of geese--great work!

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  80. OMG... This is so sweet.. I loved your take on the picture..

    --Someone Is Special--

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  81. You take the window to a new level, Willow.. and such beauty in thought.. I admire this poem for sure!

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  82. wonderful. I really like the eloping from the Tupperware world and the ferris wheel image. The emotion, the need for flight, counting to three...brilliant.

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  83. I like the idea of escaping from a Tupperware world. Flying out the door would be icing on the cake.

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  84. Arrrghhhh tupperware! On a personal note, Willow I thank you for bringing this fine group of ponderers together. Never have I read such a diverse group of writers. Your site makes me heart smile :)

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  85. Willow - a marvelous piece. And that's the whole, Tupperworn truth! *smiles*

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  86. gosh, so many comments. What's left to say?

    tupperware is an image that strikes out from the piece for sure, but I also like;

    Life is a circle,
    old as my tongue,
    and older than my teeth

    as that is what "our" life is and it puts it in perspective.

    love the prompts Willow; some days you hit me and others I am at a loss, but this one inspired me and many others it would seem

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  87. Thanks for all your wonderful comments, my friends. You fuel my muse. xx

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  88. May I offer a third 's' ? As in 'awesomeness.' The Tupperware world image is truly outstanding!

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  89. Check mate --- a perfect 'game of a poem...' I long to fly away with that kind of open air freedom...of the mind -- unchained not bound to earth by games, boredom or monotony of routine.

    Lovely twist of the open door to open minds and freedom.

    Joanny

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  90. I have ridden a few of those twitching ferris wheels in my time! Beautifully written.

    I'm on the road 'logging on' when I can but having problems leaving comments. Be assured, I am reading these wonderful Magpies.

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  91. This is utterly stunning.

    So many lines I could quote back - but I would end up quoting the whole thing. Tremendous.

    First time visiting your blog. I am a fan.

    And thanks for the comment on mine.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)