Thursday, March 27, 2008

Murder, my darling

Bathe me in
my own expulsions,
my own contortions.
Words extorted.

I'll pay the price,
pay the tithe
for
stealing double portions of
this life.

Sympathize, won’t you?
This is all I know,
all I know,
all I know how to do.

Lay me in the words I’ve spewed.
Drown me in
a poem or two.

And I shall die like I have lived
gladly sinking in the words
I give
to you.

Drown me in a poem or two or two or two....

20 comments:

writerwoman said...

Work process for this:

The title is a take off on Murder Your Darlings, a phrase that is known to fiction writers.

This line
Stealing double portions of this life.

is a nod to a quote I read about all fiction writers getting to live twice, once in their actions and once in their stories.

The poem is inspired by another poem of mine called Drowning in a word
http://shewritespoetry.blogspot.com/2006/10/slightly-edited-drowning-in-word.html

Thanks for reading.

Mukul said...

nice poems on your blog. i have learnt the pleasures of writing and blogging a little late in life you are welcome to share the joy if you so choose, my URL are
http://www.kavitanjali.com/newpoets/mukul.htm
http://mukulsworld.wordpress.com
http://www.blogger.com/profile/00373780330992106695

Scot said...

I like the way this sounds when read--like the word choice.

Anonymous said...

A very intelligent poem, I like it for the sheer intellectual backbone to it. The tone also intrigues and I can't decide whether the concluding lines are playful or rather sinister.
I very much enjoyed it.

paisley said...

what a way to go!!!!!!

very nice!!

UL said...

this was nice Sarah,really nice...hey there's a gift awaiting you at my space, hope you will like it, i havent been able to come by lately, but wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Exquisitely honed, Sara, especially this stanza..

"I'll pay the price,
pay the tithe
for
stealing double portions of
this life."

..for its use of alliteration and subtle rhymes, viz price/life. Your poems always show a depth of knowledge about life's intricacies and our struggle to understand them. Superb work, truly..:)

Anonymous said...

It's a very interesting poem you wrote. The style is subtle and still full of meaning.

I love the sensuality too!

Kudoz!

Anna said...

I like these lines:

Drown me in
a poem or two.

I'm sorry my commenting has been sporadic. Working on handling some life situations ...

Blu said...

...drown me in a poem or two
or two -- love the poem.

Stacey said...

Absolutely love this, the words,structure and rhythm all contribute to making this amazing poem!!!

CANDLELIZARDEGG said...

not bad,, nut very depressing...

STP said...

I love the flow of this piece. It has an rapidity that attracts attention

Marie said...

I really like this, Sara.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

Hi Sara,
It's been a long long time hasn't it.
Mostly, it's my fault. I had been so long away from the blogging world and then too, blogging only sporadically.
I hope all your novel-writing is going on in a super fashion.
And I so love this poem.
It reminds me distinctly of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Well-crafted. :-)
Big hug, my old friend.

Fireblossom said...

"Sympathize, won’t you?
This is all I know,
all I know,
all I know how to do."

The above is my favorite part. To me the repetition might even imply a sort of nervous unravelling.

And those poor darlings, strewn about the landscape. But with poetry, it is ALL darlings, isn't it? In various states of repair.

Anyway, the title, regardless of source, is arresting.

xo

Blossom

Deborah Vatcher said...

I like how the poem progresses from "bathe" in the first line to "drown" in the last. Also thought that "stealing double portions of this life" was a powerful metaphor. Enjoyed this dark and thoughtful piece.

Cynthia said...

love your unique style ww, your
poems are like have words brushed
across the psyche, i get the
feel, that i know well, of words,
poems as the ultimate lover.

Rob Kistner said...

Love this piece Sara. It is such a celebration of writing, and what it is to write. Has a nice sensual edge to it, in that it suggests the visceral nature of words... very cool! ;)