Sitting on the Ganges,
minding your own business,
then there’s a burlap bag
thrown over your head.
Well, it’s burlap and sparkle filled.
You can’t forget the sparkles.
“Darling, you’re fabulous”,
they said.
“We need to
airbrush, just a bit,
so the birthmarks
aren’t so obvious.
Drop a bit of context,
and you’re the perfect size.”
You can’t hear your heart beat,
over the sound of people telling you
who you are.
You can barely hear them
over the sound of other people
haggling over the price of your blessing,
bartering with money or
the currency of smug satisfaction.
Your makeover is complete.
You’re everyone’s darling,
the It girl they all want
to have whisper secrets in their ear.
The secret
is you’d be happy to share them,
if they’d meet you
on the banks of the Ganges first.
No sparkles please.
This poem was inspired by the prompt given over at A Dash of Sunny. The goal was to write about karma.
LOVE this - especially the reference to "burlap bag and sparkles."
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely brilliant :D thank you so much for participating Rommy :D
Lots of love,
Sanaa
I rather liked that bit too :)
Deletewho are they, i wonder...
ReplyDeleteWhoever they are, they certainly don't want to meet her on her own terms.
DeleteFascinating poem!
ReplyDeleteI always joke about kidnapping hot celeb guys with a sack ;)
Tee-hee! One of my friends and I make those jokes too!
DeleteA sparkle filled burlap bag..at first i thought ooh..but then the ending made me think come as you are - that is beautiful
ReplyDeleteWhether burlap or sparkles suit you best, either or as long as you decide.
DeleteThis poem digs its nails into brain and heart until it bares it soul to the eyes of those who just want to see it, without defining it. There are pursed lips in each stanza--not angry, but smiling and rolling its eyes at the same time... while, thinking, Can they really not see me and my glory? I'm are right here. Sparkles itch and blind.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting "on the banks of the Ganges", with pen and paper, seeing life happen, painting the faces of living words that shine brighter beneath superimposed sparkles.
You've got it right there. There also should be a word between exasperation and anger, with a dose of disappointment and disgust in the mix. It can be very aggravating to be adored for some definition someone else made up of you, especially when all that's needed is time and a curious mind to find what's really there. There might not be sparkles, but there might be something there worth taking the time to understand and meet on its own terms.
DeleteThis is a very wise poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteReally good Rommy! Liked this a lot!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you! :)
DeleteAn interesting take on the prompt, and a striking poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I like to take the odd directions every now and again.
DeleteThe they is exactly that faceless crowd judging and creating with photoshop eyes... I find it sinister..
ReplyDeleteAs do I
DeleteThis is kind of a heart-racer but then it turns introspective. Makes me think.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite glad of that. I love inspiring thoughts.
DeleteWonderful, Rommy. Don't know what I'd say that wouldn't sound trite next to this, so I'll just say thanks, this was a fun ride.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks! Glad you liked it.
Delete