Sunday, March 24, 2013

Ghost





You sidle up,
half see-through —
a sideways Father Christmas
who knows how good I’ve been,
the transparent constant,
who ruthlessly alphabetizes
the contents of my underdrawers.
You sequester a present for me,
wrapped safe in a tea cozy.
I run my finger over it, 
look for skull and crossbones,
then pop the cork and sip —
my lips stain with immediacy.
“It’s the gift of anticipation,” you whisper.

tk/March 2013

Thanks to the talented R.A.D. Stainforth for reading this poem. 

Not to be Reproduced, 1937 by René Magritte

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41 comments:

  1. Strummed WordsSun Mar 24, 10:03:00 AM

    Ooh, the creeping forward just behind our backs! Nice one, Tess.

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  2. DCWSun Mar 24, 10:08:00 AM

    I could not reproduce this poetic sentiment.

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  3. LolamouseSun Mar 24, 10:18:00 AM

    Ooh, reads with a sort of eerie feel to it, like the Magritte. I love the last line!

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  4. GraceSun Mar 24, 10:24:00 AM

    I too love the last line ~ Somehow I am conjuring a more sultry image ~

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  5. Laurie KolpSun Mar 24, 01:03:00 PM

    Seductive! Such unique images... love alphabetizing underwear and sequester a present wrapped in tea.

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  6. MaureenSun Mar 24, 01:17:00 PM

    Wonderful poem and reading. Love that concluding line!

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    1. AnonymousSun Mar 24, 04:12:00 PM

      Tess Kincaid's last lines are killers aren't they ...

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    2. Tess KincaidSun Mar 24, 11:20:00 PM

      Thank you...I often start with the last line...

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  7. AnonymousSun Mar 24, 01:18:00 PM

    Wow!

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  8. KaySun Mar 24, 01:51:00 PM

    I'm with Laurie..the underwear and the tea cozy......wow...x

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  9. anthonynorthSun Mar 24, 01:55:00 PM

    Beautifully eerie.

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  10. BerowneSun Mar 24, 03:35:00 PM

    The gift of anticipation - what a solid ending...

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  11. izzySun Mar 24, 04:55:00 PM

    What a tease! *sigh* ah well nice line with immediacy and stain! thanks

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  12. AnonymousSun Mar 24, 05:18:00 PM

    well done...my more sinister mind conjures thoughts of addiction...transparent liquid in a bottle...

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    Replies
    1. Tess KincaidSun Mar 24, 11:22:00 PM

      I enjoy the various levels my readers take...on Facebook this morning several took a political view...

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  13. HelenSun Mar 24, 05:38:00 PM

    Anticipation ... I love that word. Beautiful poetry, Tess.

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  14. kaykualaSun Mar 24, 05:44:00 PM

    Yes, a sinister feel along side some mysterious happenings. Needs to unravel the feel to understand it better. Nicely Tess!

    Hank

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  15. AnonymousSun Mar 24, 06:43:00 PM

    Mmmm, how you tantalize us with your pen.

    Was pleased to receive Unpressed yesterday.

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    Replies
    1. Tess KincaidSun Mar 24, 11:22:00 PM

      Thank you so very much for your kind support, L...

      Delete
  16. Silent Otto Mon Mar 25, 01:04:00 AM

    It is indeed the time honoured way to alphabetise underdrawers, champagne, i mean !

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  17. MartinMon Mar 25, 04:23:00 AM

    Excellent, Tess.

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  18. Alan BurnettMon Mar 25, 04:51:00 AM

    You have warmed me up on this cold, snowy morning. Good gracious Tess, you have melted all the ice on our drive and cleared the now drifts from the sorry crocus bulbs!

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  19. Dave KingMon Mar 25, 05:26:00 AM

    Best not try to define such beauty. Standing ovation.

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  20. AnonymousMon Mar 25, 05:32:00 AM

    Always have to read through and listen a couple of times but always worth it - enjoyed it thanks

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  21. UnknownMon Mar 25, 07:22:00 AM

    The gift of anticipation you give your readers is stopping by to read your poems!

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  22. LynMon Mar 25, 09:26:00 AM

    Special and strange in the best possible way..wow!!

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  23. Kathe W.Mon Mar 25, 01:39:00 PM

    so moody and sinister...well done Tess!

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  24. Tumblewords:Tue Mar 26, 12:26:00 AM

    My lips stain with immediacy - terrific!

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  25. LydiaTue Mar 26, 04:53:00 AM

    I think it is sultry, also, which is not what I initially saw in the painting. Marvelous, Tess.

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  26. J Cosmo NewberyTue Mar 26, 06:52:00 AM

    You capture the mystery and intrigue beautifully.

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  27. UnknownTue Mar 26, 07:40:00 AM

    This was a hard prompt this week (oh ok only me?) you have handled it brilliantly as usual. Quite a seductive piece Tess - remarkable and not at all what I thought would be captured. Now on to read some more :-)

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  28. sukipoetTue Mar 26, 07:45:00 AM

    interesting interpretation. the poem itself feels so ghost-like. and great prompt.

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  29. 21 WitsTue Mar 26, 10:18:00 AM

    A spooky gift of delicious prose you played well.

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  30. Susan AndersonTue Mar 26, 10:52:00 AM

    I loved the poem, and I enjoyed reading the comments, too.
    This was more sensual than sinister to me in the reading.

    But then, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir has always been one of my favorites movies.

    ;)

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  31. AnonymousTue Mar 26, 12:24:00 PM

    starting with the last line (per your comment above) - what a great idea, a sort of gift of anticipation the poet gives herself?

    love "my lips stain with immediacy"

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  32. Kat MortensenTue Mar 26, 05:07:00 PM

    Have you been watching "Marple"? I loved the sidling "Father Christmas" and the alphabetized under-drawers. This conjures so many things. Good work!

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  33. MarilynWed Mar 27, 03:10:00 AM

    Thanks, to hear a voice, other than mine, is a gift.

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  34. Little NellWed Mar 27, 07:24:00 PM

    This has rather a creepy edge to it, as I'm sure you intended. Mention of under drawers and sidling up to whisper, make me quite discomfited. What a result.

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  35. Alan KleimanFri Mar 29, 03:59:00 PM

    happy Easter old friend
    nice poem
    A

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  36. KatherineSun Mar 31, 07:18:00 AM

    Hmmm... this has a seductive, surreptitious feel to it Tess, I like it! I, like many others that have read this, like the last 2 lines, beautifully written as always! I wish I could write with such creativity.

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  37. Belva Rae StaplesSun Mar 31, 08:26:00 AM

    I really, really like this one! I can relate to looking for the skull and crossbones. We must stay on our toes.

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

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