Home› Poetry, Prose, Music & Art

A Poem: By Elle.

elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
edited October 2005 in Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
I am a Child.

I am your Air.

I am the Sea.

I am a Mother.

I am the Earth.

I am Rock.

I am Everything.

I am Nothing.

I am Yours.
I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    You know, there's something really deep and elemental in "I am" poems. They all take the typographical form of a totem, as if we build ourselves as our surroundings that we name.

    This is a translation by Robert Graves of "The Alphabet Calendar" by Amergin, the earliest known Irish poet:

    I am a stag: of seven tines,
    I am a flood: across a plain,
    I am a wind: on a deep lake,
    I am a tear: the Sun lets fall,
    I am a hawk: above the cliff,
    I am a thorn: beneath the nail,
    I am a wonder: among flowers,
    I am a wizard: who but I
    Sets the cool head aflame with smoke?

    I am a spear: that roars for blood,
    I am a salmon: in a pool,
    I am a lure: from paradise,
    I am a hill: where poets walk,
    I am a boar: ruthless and red,
    I am a breaker: threatening doom,
    I am a tide: that drags to death,
    I am an infant: who but I
    Peeps from the unhewn dolmen, arch?

    I am the womb: of every holt,
    I am the blaze: on every hill,
    I am the queen: of every hive,
    I am the shield: for every head,
    I am the tomb: of every hope.


    Interesting, eh? You created that form too. Another reason why I believe in the collective unconscious. :)
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    Wow that one was a lot better then mine... I guess I have a lot of work to do :)
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Amergin was better than nearly everybody. It's alright. ;)
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,265
    I am woman, hear me roar
    In numbers too big to ignore
    And I know too much to go back an' pretend
    'cause I've heard it all before
    And I've been down there on the floor
    No one's ever gonna keep me down again

    CHORUS
    Oh yes I am wise
    But it's wisdom born of pain
    Yes, I've paid the price
    But look how much I gained
    If I have to, I can do anything
    I am strong (strong)
    I am invincible (invincible)
    I am woman

    You can bend but never break me
    'cause it only serves to make me
    More determined to achieve my final goal
    And I come back even stronger
    Not a novice any longer
    'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

    CHORUS

    I am woman watch me grow
    See me standing toe to toe
    As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
    But I'm still an embryo
    With a long long way to go
    Until I make my brother understand

    Oh yes I am wise
    But it's wisdom born of pain
    Yes, I've paid the price
    But look how much I gained
    If I have to I can face anything
    I am strong (strong)
    I am invincible (invincible)
    I am woman
    Oh, I am woman
    I am invincible
    I am strong

    FADE
    I am woman
    I am invincible
    I am strong
    I am woman
    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
    That's a mightily empowering song. Joyous too. :)
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    lol... again... stop outshining me in my own thread ;) No I love it.
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Elle, have you an idea for music to that? :)
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    Elle, have you an idea for music to that? :)

    I have tried out a few cord on my guitar... but I have a lot to work on. I am still learning... I can't only make it with a voice. Well I guess I could. But I would rather some soul with that ;)
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • fletchfletch Posts: 57
    elephantrunk wrote:
    I have tried out a few cord on my guitar... but I have a lot to work on. I am still learning... I can't only make it with a voice. Well I guess I could. But I would rather some soul with that ;)
    I didn't know you were doing that!
    One of these days I'm gonna get organizized.

    You spend your life waiting for a moment that just don't come
    Well don't waste your time waiting
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    waysideledder wrote:
    I didn't know you were doing that!

    There are a lot of things about Me you do not know ;)
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    I'm obviously alone here... but my daughters only 4 years old.... and i'm sure she could have wrote this :o


    sorry, I just thought it juvenile and lamentable
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Ah, but as Paddy Kavanagh said, a poet is born, not made. Maybe your daughter's a poet. ;)
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    Ah, but as Paddy Kavanagh said, a poet is born, not made. Maybe your daughter's a poet. ;)
    ....and she knows it! ;)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    I'm obviously alone here... but my daughters only 4 years old.... and i'm sure she could have wrote this :o


    sorry, I just thought it juvenile and lamentable

    Everyone has different taste. But thanks for the criticism...
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    elephantrunk wrote:
    Everyone has different taste. But thanks for the criticism...

    Thanks for taking it so well... I was trying not to be polemic... just my opinion so you're right about the taste aspect.

    Anyway Fins knows way more about poetry than me, so go with his critique.

    maybe something less prosaic next time... you got any more?
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    Thanks for taking it so well... I was trying not to be polemic... just my opinion so you're right about the taste aspect.

    Anyway Fins knows way more about poetry than me, so go with his critique.

    maybe something less prosaic next time... you got any more?

    I have a lot more. Mostly long poems. Most of mine are from the heart. Do not rhyme.
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    elephantrunk wrote:
    I have a lot more. Mostly long poems. Most of mine are from the heart. Do not rhyme.

    who said they had to rhyme? :confused:

    Post them.... go on.... gees a lookie! :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • elephantrunkelephantrunk Posts: 24
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    who said they had to rhyme? :confused:

    Post them.... go on.... gees a lookie! :)

    I am shy yet. Still new you know. I will post them and you will Love them.
    I only wanted to be somebody. So fucking bad I came unglued.
    Here we are now face to face and I'm fucking you.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    elephantrunk wrote:
    I am shy yet. Still new you know. I will post them and you will Love them.

    aha... typed with aplomb :)

    look forward to reading them... bye bye shy pie (now that's a rhyme) :D
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Let us never forget Flann O' Brien's Finn in "At Swim-Two-Birds":

    "I am a gnat.
    I am a harpstring.
    I am a Connaughtman's ear."


    :cool:
  • Righteous JammerRighteous Jammer Posts: 509
    So simple......I loved every word of it...
    It doesnt hurt.... when I bleed
    but memories...they eat me
    I've seen it all before,...
    bring it on cause I'm no victim.
    -Ghost
Sign In or Register to comment.