Silent Words

The beat drives my heart
as my soul is wracked with pain.
Each hint of pity and sneers, echo
in a bloody chamber driving me insane.
Rip me from crown to toe,
the teases, giggles and taunts unheard.
Inside I'll hold tight, my pain won't show.
I know what you think you see.
I hear what you think I couldn't.
You don't know what it is to be me.
Your heartless thoughts.....Shouldn't
be.

The Panther: Poem and essay

The Panther by Rainer Maria Rilke

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.

as he paces in cramped circles, over and over,
the movement of his powerful soft strides
is like a ritual dance around a center
in which a mighty will stands paralyzed.

Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts, quietly--. An image enters in,
rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,
plunges into the heart and is gone.

~Now my Essay about this poem. Please leave me a comment telling me what you think about the poem and if you agree or disagree with anything in my essay. Thanks! ~T

In Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem, The Panther, her imagery about a panther stalking his cage is very evident. Her imagery is clear and concise through the first two stanzas of the three stanza poem. In the third stanza, however, the tone of the poem changes slightly and is hard to understand.

In the first stanza of The Panther, Rilke’s description of a male passing bars and becoming weary and separated from the world is very easy to understand. I enjoyed how she turned the bars into thousands, creating the image of unending imprisonment. This really starts out the poem with the intense image of a caged animal that has given up on freedom.

In the second stanza of The Panther, Rilke builds an image of the panther stalking in circles. This stalking is compared to a ritual dance that is there to contain the panther’s will, “paralyzed”. This image is powerful in communicating how the panther is containing itself in the form of constant movement.

In the third stanza the tone of The Panther changes from the previous two. Rainer Maria Rilke states, “Only at times, the curtain of the pupils / Lifts, quietly--, An image enters in, / Rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles, / Plunges into the heart and is gone” (Gioia 89). I do not understand what this stanza implies, other than that the panther somehow receives some burst of freedom in his mind and it gives his heart some joy for a moment. She talks about pupils but hasn’t spoken of the panther’s eyes before, which I’m assuming she is referring to now. If I could talk to Rainer Maria Rilke, I would ask her, why did you suddenly focus on the panther’s eyes? What image was this that leapt into the panther’s heart? It is quite frustrating to understand the beginning of the poem but not the end. Usually the end is what has the most important message.

Protesting

Wastrels and beggars

We strive

Torches doused

Forks dulled

Voices rasping

Among the tides

Gulping for air

Full of pollution

We set upon

Our own revolution

This was inspired by the protests going on in The U.S.A. atm. I don't really see the point in the people protesting... Nothing will change.

~T

Epic Storm

The tides in my soul

Roll with the rain

Splish, splash

I feel insane.

The shift in my soul

Shakes my roots

Crumble, crash

Chaos mute.

The storm in my soul

Flashes and hails

Boom, boom

Epic fail.

Who is that girl?

Who is that girl I see?
Chubby cheeks
and talks funny?
That's not me.
In the mirror I see her
but I don't know her.
Who is that girl I hear?
Stuttering, lisp
Recklessly blabbing her fears?
That's not me.
In the mirror I see her
but I don't know her.
Who is that girl?

This is about how shocking it can be to see photos or videos of yourself and the way you look and sound doesn't sound or look at all like how you see or hear yourself. Sometimes it's so radically different, you're like, what lens am I looking/hearing through? Anyone else feel that way sometimes too?
~T

p.s. sorry for it being so long since my last post. Just haven't been inspired and been busy writing fiction instead.

Nothing

Don't you hate it when you ask your mother or someone else you love what they want for a gift and they say, "nothing."? I believe people say that either because they feel guilty for "wanting" anything specifically or they want you to figure out what they want on your own. My mother told my sisters and I this year that she wanted "nothing" for Mother's Day. So I thought of this clever poem to satisfy her wants. :) enjoy. ~T

Here is nothing
the nothing you ask for
the nothing you receive
Here is nothing
the nothing you don't deserve
the nothing you don't leave
Here is nothing
Though you always deserve more
Though this nothing, you misconceive
Here is nothing
Though you give me more than I deserve
Though you give me a great love weave
Here is nothing
because a mother's love deserves more
because a mother like you, I wish not to aggrieve
Here is nothing
because you are a mother, I assume, deserved
because you are a mother, I could never preconceive
Here is nothing
and when you tire of the nothing you ask for
and when the nothings fade, be relieved

I got you flowers too.

We Create in Different Ways

Again, going to talk before the poem. :) This poem was inspired moments ago by my realization that I love it when people comment and like about my art work and scenery photos I post on facebook. Where I post art, my friends and family post pictures of their children. I'm sure they feel proud and happy when people "like" and comment on the pictures of their children too. ~T

Smile, birth
Smile, create
photo, awww!
photo, neat!
1 step, 2 step, Cheer!
1 line, 2 line, review.
giggle, giggle, Hug!
snap, snap, upload.
scribble, scribble, fridge.
Doodle, doodle, display.
your children, your creation.
my children, my creation.

Paths

Which path, which path?
which path to take?
the lands are treacherous
and there's so much at stake
Worlds flow through
Rich with promise
Itching, clawing, begging
to ring the glottis
a hearty laugh
full of soul
smile upon
her senses dulled
which path, which path?
her path to take
all or none
her heart does ache
reaching, seeking, taking all
to sing out laughter
from her stories' sway
string the notes
high with joy
as each path unfurles
each path deployed.


It's been a long time since I have posted a new poem. Mostly because it's been almost that long since I have written one. My mind has been distracted with other writings and readings which actually inspired this poem. I have been working on several story ideas as well as working on one novel and reading several novels. It's hard to choose which story to delve into though, which is what inspired this poem. =) enjoy.
~T

Spider

Spider, spider
hanging by a thread
Land, I dare ya.
You'll be dead.
This place is just big enough
for me
and to be honest I find you
a bit creepy
crawl away and find a place
where flies will be easy to catch
and yummy to taste
Spider, spider
hanging by a thread
please don't land
It's just not safe for you
I'm afraid I'd have to introduce
you to my shoe.
crawl away
please, I say
maybe we can play
another day.

lol, squashed a spider yesterday on the floor, it was huge! and then today, fake spiders hanging for decorations for Halloween made me think of this.
~T

Alone

Alone in the night
my heart
I do fight
empty and aching
never to sleep
never to waking
alone in my dreams
alone in my fears
alone tonight
alone for years
calloused hands broke
calloused eyes blind
empty soul took
empty soul left behind
chips and pieces
more than enough
the hollow sound too much
being alone is tough
reaching for something
anything to hold
dying to be loved again
before I'm too old.

This poured out of me after feeling so alone w/o anyone special in my life for a long time now. Seeing other people complain about missing loved ones who have to be away from them for a while, to me it's like, at least you know they are out there and that they love you. I'm not knocking your pain of missing them, I just am jealous I suppose. I'd rather be in pain of missing someone than the pain I have sometimes of not having anyone to miss.
~T

Living in the Sky

If I could fall into the sky
I'd dance around in diamonds
swinging and swayin
til the night ends
morning would paint me
oranges and sunflowers
day dreamin across yellow sky
like super girl, watch my super powers
A twist of the wrist
lights up a rainbow
I'll skip along
creating gold, wherever I go.

This was inspired by the night sky. I came home and looked up into the beautiful starry night and felt in awe and wished I could just fall up into the night sky.
~T

Dreams and Nightmares

Suck it up
go to sleep
face your nightmares
or your dreams
Dreams will come
Dreams will fade
Nightmares will come
Nightmares will haze
forget it all
live in the moment
sleep well, sleep tight
remember that
tonight is tonight.


This is about living in reality and facing your fears and dreams head on but not lingering in stuff that is unreal. I am bad about living in daydreams.
~T

Eyes

Framed with fringe
glossed with tears
fogged up windows
in crash fears
drip in pain
upon the frame
the soul resides
from you
I cannot hide
open windows
into my soul...

Your eyes are a window unto to your soul. beware.
~T

Silence of being silenced

Twirl, slash
let go the sash!
Twisted in fury
sunk in hatred
curl, push
don't make the hush!
see the envy
feel the greed
stealing, stolen
watch the breath, go
sucking, shallow
gulping, desperate
strangle, die
hear the hush.

This is kind of a figurative way of saying being oppressed or silenced from your point of view or opinion is a way of socially and politically strangling a person from their rights and freedoms.
~T

Carefree

Ten penguins
in a row
waddle, waddle
through the snow
going, going
where? I don't know.
Ten penguins
in a line
slide, swim
snow or shine
playing, playing
why? to pass the time.

Oh, how nice it'd be to be a penguin somedays...
~T

Let's Escape

Lion, lion
on the wall
aren't you
afraid to fall?
Do you hang
by your claws?
Don't play brave
just for me
Don't you crave
to be free?
Lion, lion
on the wall
don't be
afraid to fall
I will catch
sure and true
atop your back
I will climb
and we'll run away together
leaving this classroom behind.

This came to me today at work... I like it. :)
~T

This Feeling...IDK

Feeling wretched
feeling vile
give me something
to defile
annoyance roots
anger burns
let me retch
my stomach churns
fire blown out
first sigh
never, never
shout
look to a mirror
look deep
find your soul
don't weep
match the soul to image
make yourself happy
forget to cringe
be happy.

eh...it's ok... *shrug*
~T

Fire

Windows catching
on the brink
pitter, patter
pitter, patter
dripping in the sink
Glazed smoke
hides the charr
click, tap
click, tap
reveal the scar
Doors banging
opening to none
creak, crash
creak, crash
this place is done.

This was inspired by my ex-fiance's house burning down last week. I was sad to hear about it. It was my home for three years. I was sad to lose some of my own items that I hadn't been able to recover yet. I was also sad for him and his girlfriend and baby that they lost everything they had. Also, thankful that I was not still there, for I would have lost everything. I don't think I could handle that.
~T

Help Me Escape

Drowning under flourescent lights
swallow me whole
the dark night
in a hole of selfishness, sinking
I tear my soul
where am I going?
The road is lit
lined with light poles
but I still can't see it
I'll follow tails lights
but it takes its toll
swinging on the tail of this kite
hoping to end up somewhere for safe keeping
where I hope, want and am meant to be, full.
happy. content, life done sucking.
tired... tired of sleeping. Stop it!
this dreaming lull
I need to escape it.

Feeling very emotional his weekend. Things going on that are making me feel like I'm stuck in place, not really moving. I am not happy. Why can't I achieve in life, what I want? It's so annoying... grrr. *cry*
~T

Summer Day

sweet berry, fill me up
let that syrup
stick to me again
sing the fragrance
through my skin
that longs for silk
and rough again
sun kissed
angels, shine away
hold me in this
summer day.

Ahh! Summer is here! :) June is one of my favorite months, mainly because that's when the mulberries are ripe for eating. :) yumm. This is how my day was today. Mulberries, soft freshly shaved legs (went swimming) and freckles (angel kisses), continued to be warmed and darkened by the sun's rays. Happy Summer!... I hope...lol. This summer I turn 25... :/
~T