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Open Poetry #27
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Honeybee
Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-26
Posts 5372
Ontario, CANADA

0 posted 2003-06-29 06:07 PM


A re-write of an oldie....


China Doll Heart

I am like a china doll in a gift shop
solemnly awaiting the hour of release;
Hoping, longing
for any man to save me from this existence
to choose me for the rare treasure that I am,
granting him the certificate of ownership
of my heart.

Like the others
I am carefully placed upon a stand
on a ledge coated with bargain tags and dust
forcefully displayed to the world
beneath a glass house of lies.
I come from the same mold,
the same cast of clay,
from the same palette of mundane hues
born over and over again with the same translucent features
worn by dozens of other dolls.

I am no jack in the box, no raggedy ann
nor am I a puppet or plastic Barbie play thing.
I am the finest of the fine,
a cleverly crafted darling,
a collectable porcelain princess.
Yet, there is no dignity
as I become a slave upon a shelf,
a soldier, standing tall and ever still
without a word, without a melody
or a sense of worth.
I yearn to be plucked from obscurity,
to be touched,
to find a home
and belong to someone, anyone.

You may scoff at the paradox of me
but, even inanimate objects
are faced with the realization of alone
through this passive paralysis called life.

Even dolls have the right to bleed,
to be fragile
in the dead of night
when the shop is closed
and all is silent,
even the screams.

The morning groans on once more
offering fragments of light
with every bell chime
and opening of the door;
and when the sun catches the marble flecks in my eyes
oh how they glisten with mystery and enchantment!
With come hither lashes and scarlet lips of rose petal...
I am beauty incarnate.
And oh how my curls of auburn dance with the air
atop the velvet gown that adorns my limbs as a medallion.

With envious eyes and trusting smiles
I am dissected, yet, cherished in wonder
as I remain unchanged
under the glass that becomes me.
As many pass by staring,
some admiring, some refusing to see me,
I seem so strong,
so perfect in the moment,
but, my crystal turquoise eyes fight to hold back a lifetime's weep;
tears that would smear the intricately applied paint on ivory-bisque skin,
tears teasing with the plea that one day, I will finally be free.

Yet, pass me by long enough
and my heart dismantles itself
and this china doll breaks into a million pieces,
desperate, unloved, unclaimed,
a hollow entity
as I succumb to the paradigm of time, fading to antique.

China doll heart, china doll eyes
china doll dreams and china doll soul
slowly dies.

By Melissa Long-Monette

Intellectually I know that Canada is no better than any other country. Emotionally I KNOW that Canada is the best country in the world!

© Copyright 2003 Melissa P. Long-Monette - All Rights Reserved
Larry C
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Patricius
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286
United States
1 posted 2003-06-29 06:10 PM


I'll be back.

If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.

Seymour Tabin
Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720
Tamarac Fla
2 posted 2003-06-29 06:35 PM


Honeybee
All in the eye of the beholder, but not this beholder.

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215
Realms of Light
3 posted 2003-06-29 06:52 PM


.....there! Now it is safely tucked away in my library of treasures!

Melissa, this not only was a poetically pleasing poem to read, but the concept was brilliant!

Luvs 'n hugs,
EA

Enchantress
Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113
Canada eh.
4 posted 2003-06-29 06:55 PM


Beautiful..and I do believe I remember this Melissa!
A message in here..very well said.
~Smiles & Hugs, Nancy~

~If you haven't heard the sunset,
   you haven't been listening.~

Larry C
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Patricius
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286
United States
5 posted 2003-06-29 09:30 PM


Melissa,
All of that and so desirable! AW how excellent you right.

If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.

Patricia
Member Elite
since 2003-04-06
Posts 2160
Missouri
6 posted 2003-06-29 09:42 PM


Well, from smiles to tears which now stream down my cheeks.  This is incredible...

Patricia  

passing shadows
Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577
displaced
7 posted 2003-06-29 10:02 PM


God Mel, this is so sad
JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
8 posted 2003-06-29 10:08 PM


Excellent...one of my favorites...James
Auguste
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 3953
By the sea
9 posted 2003-06-29 11:16 PM


"Hoping, longing
for any man to save me from this existence
to choose me for the rare treasure that I am"

Indeed you are a rare treasure, dear friend.  Indeed!  Be patient, he's out there, I promise.  I absolutely adore this and am keeping it.  

The stars will shine when I am gone,
the earth will turn on as before,
the gulls, still race along the shore,
the morning star, still kiss the dawn

Aenimal
Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350
the ass-end of space
10 posted 2003-06-30 09:17 AM


I am dissected, yet, cherished in wonder
as I remain unchanged
under the glass that becomes me.
As many pass by staring,
some admiring, some refusing to see me,
I seem so strong,
so perfect in the moment,
but, my crystal turquoise eyes fight to hold back a lifetime's weep;
tears that would smear the intricately applied paint on ivory-bisque skin,
tears teasing with the plea that one day, I will finally be free.

Hate to single out these lines above the rest but I just [felt] these the most. A beautiful written  example of the Ache hope brings

catalinamoon
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-03
Posts 9543
The Shores of Alone
11 posted 2003-06-30 09:35 AM


Oh my, you do this so well. Thankfully you, the real live doll, has a better future. Smile lady, you are awesome.
Sandra

Magnus
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Laureate
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135
South Carolina, USA
12 posted 2003-07-01 09:15 PM


WOW!  this is a immaculately descriptive
piece of poetry that is as priceless and
precious as the doll itself.

Beautiful write, Melissa..

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