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Inspired by Pearl Jam's "Sleight of Hand."

Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,265
edited September 2005 in Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
She looks across the street
towards a playground during the noon hour.
A fistful of children unravel
in circles
breaking
into circles
breaking into
circling.

She looks at her gloves.
Her company logo stitched on the thumb.
She cups another rose bulb;
not quite defenseless.
She's stared at one for hours.

She looks at her gloves.
She knows that within
are no more and no less than her hands.
Honored with this increasing strength
she digs another hole.
There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    I like it biblio, I remember the one you did based on Elderly woman..... I feel similarly about this..... in that it is mysterious to me and intrigues me. I only remember the line 'touched by sleight of hand' although I have heard the song many times (I have the worlds worst memory for lyrics and would even struggle to recite betterman or any song)... so I think the song is about us being shaped, following a given path.... in a way...... so I try to read your poem with that in mind and I find other meanings. I like the image of the children, like choreography instructions or like a ripple on the surface after a stone has been thrown into water. really interesting interpretation, give me a clue as to what it means to you, if you feel like it....
    Salut baloo
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,265
    burtschips wrote:
    I like it biblio, I remember the one you did based on Elderly woman..... I feel similarly about this..... in that it is mysterious to me and intrigues me. I only remember the line 'touched by sleight of hand' although I have heard the song many times (I have the worlds worst memory for lyrics and would even struggle to recite betterman or any song)... so I think the song is about us being shaped, following a given path.... in a way...... so I try to read your poem with that in mind and I find other meanings. I like the image of the children, like choreography instructions or like a ripple on the surface after a stone has been thrown into water. really interesting interpretation, give me a clue as to what it means to you, if you feel like it....
    Thank you for taking time with this, burtschips. It should be the opposite of what is the point of "Sleight of Hand." I sensed the song was about a man who looks back on years, and doesn't like where the years have lead him. The woman here doesn't look back on years and wonder where they've gone. She knows that it's only her hands within the gloves, not symbols of what once was valuable. She has the strength to pursue her dreams, run her own landscaping business, and still appreciate all the newness circling and circling in front of her. The circling part really is a reaction to the music of that song. I just felt the lyrics and the music inspired separate images for me. This was a relatively quick poem, I'm just getting back in the groove again. Hopefully, I'll be at full steam soon. Do you have a drawing for this?
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • pacifierpacifier Posts: 1,009
    Bibliobella wrote:
    Thank you for taking time with this, burtschips. It should be the opposite of what is the point of "Sleight of Hand." I sensed the song was about a man who looks back on years, and doesn't like where the years have lead him. The woman here doesn't look back on years and wonder where they've gone. She knows that it's only her hands within the gloves, not symbols of what once was valuable. She has the strength to pursue her dreams, run her own landscaping business, and still appreciate all the newness circling and circling in front of her. The circling part really is a reaction to the music of that song. I just felt the lyrics and the music inspired separate images for me. This was a relatively quick poem, I'm just getting back in the groove again. Hopefully, I'll be at full steam soon. Do you have a drawing for this?

    I can see exactly what you are saying. I really like it. thanks for sharing. And if this isn't full swing than i can't wait to hear more :)
  • ISNISN Posts: 1,700
    this!!!! is an awesome poem......I can understand it......and it expresses my understanding in words that I don't have........good stuff!!!!
    ....they're asking me to prove why I should be allowed to stay with my baby in Australia, because I'm mentally ill......and they think I should leave......
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    ....drawing.... i'll give it a go, biblio. I will find it quite hard for your poem but I'll try for something.
    Salut baloo
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    rose hands. hands are what i thought of..... had no rose bud to look at so don't know if they're legit... marking a path.

    rosehands.jpg
    Salut baloo
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,265
    burtschips wrote:
    rose hands. hands are what i thought of..... had no rose bud to look at so don't know if they're legit... marking a path.

    rosehands.jpg
    Wow, that is so cool! That is so amazing, a real pleasure to look at. Good job, burtschips!
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    If you ask me, it's much better than "Sleight of Hand." The poetry is in its pity for the mundanity of a continuous death-in-life. This poem doesn't need to resolve in suicide to make its point. Good work.
  • burtschipsburtschips Posts: 734
    Bibliobella wrote:
    Wow, that is so cool! That is so amazing, a real pleasure to look at. Good job, burtschips!


    Glad you like Biblio, and thanks for the insight.
    Salut baloo
  • steppenwolfsteppenwolf Posts: 164
    Bibliobella wrote:
    Thank you for taking time with this, burtschips. It should be the opposite of what is the point of "Sleight of Hand." I sensed the song was about a man who looks back on years, and doesn't like where the years have lead him. The woman here doesn't look back on years and wonder where they've gone. She knows that it's only her hands within the gloves, not symbols of what once was valuable. She has the strength to pursue her dreams, run her own landscaping business, and still appreciate all the newness circling and circling in front of her. The circling part really is a reaction to the music of that song. I just felt the lyrics and the music inspired separate images for me. This was a relatively quick poem, I'm just getting back in the groove again. Hopefully, I'll be at full steam soon. Do you have a drawing for this?

    that's an interesting explanation. i've read it three times, and it's better each time.

    for me, i sense something traumatic (through the long hours) of staring at the rose bulb, and the regaining of one's strength through the patterns and energies of living itself.

    very nice. thank you.
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