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Open Poetry #36
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I Cry When I'm Angry
| Open Poetry #36 |
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I Cry When I'm Angry |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California 
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I Cry When I’m Angry I cry when I’m angry, each tear digs for spring with curved and spiny flowers, ever green. Dear autumn, sing, come now stir; danger clouds swift currents hold on the memory of the sound so laughter is blurred. I open a cup under the stars first bright, then hold on to the thunder, hold on to the light. I believe in the harvest of this day. The fruit is lolling on my lips past the time of warm water into the nip. Confused, my day turns dark and the threads of light at night walk with purpose across my road, stealing pieces of my dream I never owned. I cry when I’m angry. and it seems I cry all the time, but I can’t name them, those hard rocks that I throw down. They are just litter now on any ground. Soon in another life they’ll only be sand under a foot that steps on part of me. |
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| © Copyright 2005 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved | |||
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ThisDiamond Member Rara Avis
since 2002-02-22
Posts 9353Michigan, USA |
Martie, I thought this to be so very boundless in it's honesty and in it's truth. The ending brought concave the moan of the soul. In reaching the depths of the rock, so does the sand grind out over time. Many smiles your way, TD |
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Nightshade 
since 2001-08-31
Posts 13962just out of reach |
Oh Martie, you have a gentle way of bringing me to tears with the honesty in each of your writings. Excellent. hugs, Chris Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
Excellent sweet Martie! One day perhaps...teach me how..to do this Congrats on your 23,000th post! ~Hugs & Smiles, Nancy~ ~Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.~ |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Martie, a very expressive write. I cry when I'm angry, too. I especially liked the way you closed the poem.  ....jo |
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Bodger Senior Member
since 2005-06-12
Posts 1260Tolerance for a short time |
We are all ourselves no matter what we are I always think of phrases Those were'nt down there for dancing is one yet I escape from time to time and dance the night away Bodger |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
Anger passes, hurt passes....joy, sorrow, life itself pass. One thing remains, and you know what that is. Hold to it, dear lady, and you'll be ok. ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
.....psst!...and I like your punctuation!  ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
"Confused, my day turns dark and the threads of light at night walk with purpose across my road, stealing pieces of my dream I never owned." the FEEL of the color blue is in this write, in 3D |
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inkedgoddess Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-19
Posts 7392Ohio |
tenderly touching through the gravity of your mood and always elegant |
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Kahlil Senior Member
since 2003-04-12
Posts 1881 |
oh, a thud to the heart at the very end. I always enjoy your writing. |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
"I cry when I’m angry," ~ Dear Martie Flowers, I do as well. "stealing pieces of my dream I never owned." ~ This really aches. I have experienced the sadness of this realization as well. I think I'll fluff up my "wings" and head out your way! It'll be a loooooong trip, but I think you need some caring company right about now. I'm on my way! Linda xo |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Many days, your words hit home with me Martie. I love how your poems can be viewed from another person's perspective allowing them to take on it's own meaning. This made me ponder amongst my own thoughts this morning. Very much enjoyed this.  Best wishes and hugs, /Kit |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
The strongest lines, of course, were the punched lines... but I can’t name them, those hard rocks that I throw down. They are just litter now on any ground. Soon in another life they’ll only be sand under a foot that steps on part of me. I know the mood, the feeling, not always the why...but you must know...sissie, you are never alone! |
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kayjay Member Elite
since 2002-06-24
Posts 2015Oregon |
Lots to think about with this one, from harvested fruit to night light to your great close. "but I can’t name them, those hard rocks that I throw down. They are just litter now on any ground. Soon in another life they’ll only be sand under a foot that steps on part of me." You've found such elegant phrasing. Well done. Ken Through rubble and trouble and dark of night |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
MartieSis~ You assault the senses, making me THINK ! 'I open a cup under the stars first bright, then hold on to the thunder, hold on to the light.' I want to drink from your poetic 'cup'~ May *Huglets* hold you~~*Marge*~ ~*When the heart grieves over what it has lost, |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
You write so beautifully, dear Martie. Anger is bad, but as you say the rocks become sand ... and the tears I would say accelerate this process! Love and hugs. Margherita |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
Martie, your a wonder to read and behold, thank you dear poetess for the greatness of this. Hugs to you and yours...hope all is well... |
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Gentle Spirit Member Patricius
since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989 |
You just wrote a big part of me Marti... yeah, I cry too, when I am angry.... |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
hmmm...I don't. I get very, VERY calm. Maybe your way is better? |
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Cloud 9 Senior Member
since 2004-11-05
Posts 980Ca |
Martie Your not alone, I do too.  |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Martie, I am also a cryer when I get angry.... but I also cry when I'm so happy I could burst. The happy feels so much better to me. Sweet Martie, I hope and pray that you will soon have the "happy" and joyful tears. You so deserve them!! Heart Hugs to you, (and some flowers for you, dear sweet lady) Ethel  |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Many times I'm inspired by music...this poem was inspired by Leonard Cohen's song, In My Secret Life. He smiles, and I cry. Thank you for your replies!! "I smile when I’m angry. I cheat and I lie. I do what I have to do To get by. But I know what is wrong. And I know what is right. And I’d die for the truth In My Secret Life." |
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StevenS Senior Member
since 2005-09-21
Posts 945L. A. (Lower Alabama) |
Beautiful song, beautiful poem, beautiful lady. Thanks Martie |
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Obsidian Snow Member
since 2005-08-24
Posts 88 |
and you write about it with grace of experience and understanding of self. |
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Brian James Member
since 2005-06-26
Posts 147Winnipeg |
Martie, It's been a while, but I'm glad I came back to visit. Glad that I got the opportunity to read this poem... your poetry is normally so emotional, and often in a detached sort of way, but when you write more personally it really resonates to an extreme. As usual, your use of description is immaculate---everything corresponds to something else. I have to start with the first stanza: quote:Since you put so much into conflict here, I get the sense of a kind of terrible beauty---flowers "ever green" that we see are transformed into being "curved and spiny" (I'm aware many flowers are curved and spiny, but I also know you are intentionally drawing attention to the threatening, barbed-wire-like image of flowers that constrain or frighten). The "greeness," I think, connotes a kind of childishness, as though every time you cry it's like the first time, or in some way a regression. Giving "ever green" its own line helps to leave it open. quote:I think that last line is one of the best expressions of nostalgia that I've read in a long time. Your tears look for the spring, but you're trying to "stir" Autumn into singing. I think you see Autumn, the end of Summer, and are sad for it---it's a neat use of apostrophe, to self-examine. I know that you're fond of looking at nature as a mirror. quote:For the first time, I think, we see that it's night-time. "Opening a cup" makes me wonder whether or not you have ever caught fireflies in a jar? What you're doing here, again, seems childish---to try and capture the "light" or the "thunder." Autumn comes back here: quote:You've found optimism in recollection, I see now... holding onto the light allows you to approach the harvest. At once you give the impression that this poem is about the value of memories. quote:This is a somewhat positive spiritual understanding, and it reminds me of many poems I've read before. The idea that the losses you mourn were never yours to begin with is a very old-fashioned form of poetic consolation, and I especially feel the force of it when you're applying it to "the harvest." Your optimism is somewhat gloomy here, saying that they "walk with purpose," as to say that you can only be faithful that the purpose exists, even if you don't understand it yourself. Now you finally return to the poem's title, more fully understood this time: quote:I think you're talking about your tears here, calling them "hard rocks" and saying that you "throw" them again brings to mind the child having a tantrum, and the silliness with which children will punch and kick, attempting to inflict harm, but knowing that they cannot. You give your tears a similar property, as though you wish you wouldn't cry when you're angry. You "can't name them" because they come unwelcomed. However, they're "parts of you," which you make explicit in the poem's closing line. Every time you cry, something about you is lost---so, does crying make you feel better? I'm having trouble understanding the ending, but I think I have a pretty good grasp of the rest of the poem. Either way, it's a joy to read you after having so long neglected your writing. I'm sorry that I've been a stranger for a while. See you around. Brian |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Thank you all for your replies. Brian, I am always honored that you would take so much time for an in depth critique..thank you!! |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
I open a cup under the stars first bright, then hold on to the thunder, hold on to the light. I believe in the harvest of this day. The fruit is lolling on my lips past the time of warm water into the nip. Confused, my day turns dark and the threads of light at night walk with purpose across my road, stealing pieces of my dream I never owned. I cry when I’m angry. and it seems I cry all the time, but I can’t name them, those hard rocks that I throw down. They are just litter now on any ground. Soon in another life they’ll only be sand under a foot that steps on part of me. Wow!!!!! I want to write like you! a  Honeysuckle Mxx ~i want for myself your trembling~ |
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Goodknight Member Elite
since 2002-06-15
Posts 2386Ohio, USA |
very powerful Martie - honest revelation of a wonderful poet - Paul |
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