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Open Poetry #27
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When The Moon Is New, It's Naked With The Stars
| Open Poetry #27 |
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When The Moon Is New, It's Naked With The Stars |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows 
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I was born with bad blood. Now ask me how I know. I was a little child when my mother told me so; she swore there was an evil that recurred from time to time, and counting generations back, it seemed, the turn was mine. I don't know how old I was, I know I could hardly talk, so it was somewhere between then and when I learned to walk. Once I got my little mind around the whole idea, I knew it was just something I'd carry with me as I grew. I must have figured it was fine, to have a role in life; without bad there is no good, so it was a grand design. I think I knew when I was six that my mother was insane; it took me three more years to learn how to refrain from contradicting her, and her vision of a god who would put a child on the earth whose purpose was to sin. Older still, I learned the skills of knife and gun and rope; I found it very easy to grow up without carrying the weight of someone else's hope for some gold enthroned distant god's redeeming grace. Priests would talk redemption, but I'd see mother's face even in the darkness of the church's finery. When I was still small enough to beat I learned to steal the money, in the baskets, at the feet of plaster statues with eyes too blind to see the predators who wanted more than just to kneel and pray with me. I survived. I learned. That was what bad blood does. Now that I'm old I realize I've learned a lot along the way I didn't find redemption, never found a need to pray for mine or any other souls I scattered on the way; I learned values are inside me; I learned what careless brings. Early on I learned revenge and vengeance are two very different things; I learned the latter causes problems, and the former clears a grudge, I learned to judge my own behavior for myself; I learned that life's a circle and it all comes ‘round in time; I learned most people hide their sins. Well, I was born without that choice, so I'll admit to mine. ©2003 by icebox |
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| © Copyright 2003 icebox - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
On occasion a bad seed might mutate to produce a glorious bloom never before imagined by minds' eyes... Mayhaps this would be one of those times...  |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
... Bravo~A magnificent deep soul-bearing write. This hurt in so many places to even read... I can only imagine writing this out. Again...poet sir...you have left me speechless and wanting more. ~Heart hugs, Nancy~ ~The breeze that kissed you on the face, |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Poet sir... you have struck a chord in my heart strings with this one...seems I have spent much of my life drawn to wounded birds...and along the way I learned there are some scars that never heal...I dont believe any child is born bad...innocence taken too soon creates the cycle. There is so much I could say after reading this powerful, honest, write...but I doubt there is anything I would say that you dont already know, for you have lived it...so might a moth with only good intentions remind you, far too often its the children who pay for the parent's sins and some burdens were never yours to carry...yet you do. For that I am deeply saddened. For your honesty and courage, I applaud you. "How could I stand here with you and not be moved by you." |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
icebox....so much of what Janet Marie said I agree with so I won't repeat it...just know that my own poet words are missing after reading this, because you touched me so much with the honesty and tears of the boy and the man in this poem.  |
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Aenimal Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350the ass-end of space |
ice again I wanted to write this, thanks for saving me the trouble from one sinner to another el diablo |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
"I learned that life's a circle and it all comes ‘round in time; I learned most people hide their sins. Well, I was born without that choice, so I'll admit to mine." Smiling now--I didn't come to pick up a sword, OR an olive branch. Apparently I just came in with a shrug. (Try that one in a breach birth.)  Awesome you. You continue to knock 'em outta the park, m'friend. |
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littlewing Member Rara Avis
since 2003-03-02
Posts 9655New York |
ice, and a brave man indeed I found it very easy to grow up without carrying the weight of someone else's hope yes, me too brilliant disclosure xxoo |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
icebox That is a chilly write. Excellent. |
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Bonfirelight Member
since 2003-06-19
Posts 85London, England |
i dont normally like long poems, but im glad i made the effort. Good insight and well written. |
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garysgirl  
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Iceman? My friend, this poem really touched me. It must have hurt to write. I wish that parents would realize how they hurt their children with their words.  Hugs Ethel [This message has been edited by garysgirl (07-31-2003 09:53 AM).] |
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1slick_lady Member Ascendant
since 2000-12-22
Posts 6088standing on a shadow's lace |
it's ok ice i am saving you a seat in basket weaving class too...i do so love ALL of your poetry...h |
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angelblueyes Member Elite
since 2003-07-19
Posts 2148Oklahoma |
I have to agree no child is bad just given no other road to choose when hurt so much.I feel you in this.  angelblueyes |
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SharaRose Member Elite
since 2003-07-19
Posts 2501Somewhere out there~ |
Gentle as a  is what I feel when I read your poems. I just don't see how those things could come from something evil?SharaRose @-->-- Of sound, and speech let all lift the hearer! |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
The baring of your moon outshines the stars.  EA |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
Icy, I read this yesterday and didn't respond because I wasn't sure how. I still don't have anything... This piece is so full of unique, and deeply meaningful words...My words to express the power of the piece surely pales in comparison. Please know that I love your work and how you express. Susan C. [This message has been edited by Susan Caldwell (08-01-2003 03:56 PM).] |
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vlraynes Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-25
Posts 8229Somewhere... out there... |
icebox...the honesty of this touched me deeply. You never cease to amaze, my friend. Big hugs to you, ~Vicky "My friends are my estate." |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
Nan ~ *smile* That is a most kind thing to say. I have hope that it is true for my children. Enchantress ~ *laugh* Yes, it stung a little. Janet Marie ~ What you say is funny. My skin is a little different from most in that it can sustain significant injuries and heal without any scar. It may be that my spirit is different. I did learn after childhood was long forgotten that my maternal grandmother believed this of me also. I suppose that was a parent passing on their own truths to their child. Thank you for your comments. Martie ~ *smile* You are safe around the man; it is the child you have to watch! Aenimal ~ Well, I expect to meet all the best people in hell, and apparently, I get a decent table. serenity blaze ~ You were breach birthed? That would make sense to me. I was not, but I actually have a very clear memory of watching my body be born. Once, I even described the birthing room and the attending medical staff (they didn't call it that way back when) to my mother in one of her lucid moments and she truly was blown away (a rather gratifying event all by itself) and told me it was all true and wanted to know who told me the details. I told her that I had watched from the ceiling; well, that really sent her away for a while. We never discussed it again. littlewing ~ *smile* There WAS great freedom in it. Truly, how could I mess up anything I did? Seymour Tabin ~ Hmmm...cold, yes. "Icebox" is not simply a poetic metaphor. Bonfirelight ~ Well, thank you for taking the time to read my poem and for commenting. I always start out to write a short poem because I also am not a big fan of long poems. Sadly, it often doesn't work out that way. garysgirl ~ I did finally get to a point where I understood what drove my mother. It did help the man a bit, but the boy will not forgive. The real story would make a decent novel, but I haven't the energy now to write it. Thank you for your comments. 1slick_lady ~ Now THAT is really funny!!! One very unhappy summer, I would hide all day in a basket making class. I only made one basket, but it took lots of time when I was safe. I probably was about 10 years old. At the end of the summer, I gave the basket to my mother. She threw it out. angelblueyes ~ Maybe...you are right that there was no other road to choose. SharaRose ~ Maybe someday, I will figure out a way to explain it to you. Thank you for reading my poem, and for your comment. Earth Angel ~ Uh-Oh! I didn't think I could bare my moon in this forum???!?!?!!!!! Am I going to get kicked out now???? *LAUGH* Thank you for your kind thoughts. Susan Caldwell ~ Thank you for taking the time to read my poem and to comment. I guess that dinner is out of the question now that you know. *grin* vlraynes ~ Thank you for reading my poem and for taking time to comment. I appreciate it. |
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