Sunday, October 7, 2007

Voice

You think you see me
through the curves and unexpected
straits, the narrow spaces between
lines and letters. You think you know
where I’m going and what I mean;
where the path ends in silence
and the white hedgerows
do not yield.

You think you know me,
a familiar voice calling
behind all the while chasing
some other dream. These words
are not me, not what I am
thinking this moment, maybe
not even what I thought then
when I passed through

a white labyrinth and left you
to find your own way.

4 comments:

Taidgh Lynch said...

quite a different style this, and very direct.

I miss your imagery in this, though there is a little bit of it throughout, it is not central.

I realise that you are speaking of something close to you, but I really think it could do with more imagery and less use of the word 'I' though I understand that you are trying to make it more personal by using 'I'.

Steve said...

This isnt the first time I've noticed a departure in your work.

I really like the directness here…the use of “you” and “I”. I could not think of any better way to do this. It produces a tone where I can see you pointing your finger at someone as you address them and then turning away in the last two lines. Here is the imagery Tiger is looking for.

I got a hung up here on the when following then.

"not even what I thought then
when I passed through"

How about...
not even what I thought when
I passed through

I love it! As always, great work PB

Steve

literary.overdose said...

Wow, PB, i really liked this...as you know poetry is NOT my strong suit--at least anything post-1850--but i fell in love with this. i loved the part "the narrow spaces between / lines and leters" and then the next sentence, "you think you know / where i'm going and what i mean" I just thought that you captured the mood perfectly with this, i have definately felt this way and could relate to it. but i did agree with the other comments about the one line in the second verse. i think steve nailed it, personally. but awesome work. i'm going to have to hang out in the poetry section a little more. take care, PB!

P.B. said...

I want to thank you all for the very thoughtful comments about this one. I must confess that as usual I am up to playing tricks. Even when I seem direct, I really can't walk the straight line. :)

In truth, this piece uses what seems like a relationship to comment on the writer's relationship with his readers or lack of relationship obviously. The white hedgerows are the margins of the page for example. Sneaky. I know. My bad.

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