The Wife's Chronicles...
I went to a writing workshop on Saturday and I found my friend, The Wife. She is a friend of my muse. Heck, she might even be my muse.
All I know is, every so often I will write a poem and when it comes time for a title, there she is, The Wife, trying to get her two cents in, trying to get her fifteen minutes of fame, trying to be funny. Thing is, sometimes she's not so much funny, as biting.
That's how I know she's not me. I am not biting. I'm mommy. I'm the smiling art teacher. I'm the lady in the kitchen, trying really hard not to make shoe leather out of pot roast.
This Wife person. She is tricky. I'm sure there's an Indian legend about her somewhere out there. Tricky.
The New Wife, A Scientist by Nature, Considers Puppetry
No strings attached, you say?
On the first day of her honeymoon,
The New Wife, A Scientist by Nature, Considers Puppetry
No strings attached, you say?
On the first day of her honeymoon,
the new wife regards a collection of puppets
in a store window. Girl puppets, boy puppets, hanging in tandem.
The wife has a camera. The husband has a camera.
in a store window. Girl puppets, boy puppets, hanging in tandem.
The wife has a camera. The husband has a camera.
They are recording their happiness.
What is the standard operating procedure
for operating these dummies without strings?
The window is so clean, so clear, it is like looking in a mirror.
Who will raise my arms?
Who will move my legs.
Oh dear. Critical error. On closer inspection,
my lips are unattached.
Look closely now, husband. Bend at the waist.
What is it making my lips move?
There are so many variables.
There’s string weight, string density.
The very real possibility of unraveling, fraying.
The wife knows. She has come to a conclusion.
If her strings are removed, she will just lie there.
The husband will get splinters all over himself trying to move her.
What’s this? Let me get my magnifying glass.
Impossible, husband. Strings growing from your fingertips.
You said no strings attached.
What is the standard operating procedure
for operating these dummies without strings?
The window is so clean, so clear, it is like looking in a mirror.
Who will raise my arms?
Who will move my legs.
Oh dear. Critical error. On closer inspection,
my lips are unattached.
Look closely now, husband. Bend at the waist.
What is it making my lips move?
There are so many variables.
There’s string weight, string density.
The very real possibility of unraveling, fraying.
The wife knows. She has come to a conclusion.
If her strings are removed, she will just lie there.
The husband will get splinters all over himself trying to move her.
What’s this? Let me get my magnifying glass.
Impossible, husband. Strings growing from your fingertips.
You said no strings attached.
posted by jillypoet @ 1:11 PM
15 Comments:
JP I love your work, and I love your intro to this poem. You definitely get the "favorite title of the week" ribbon.
I also really like your title. Nice poem.
The title is great. And your have captured married life.
This comment has been removed by the author.
(Sorry- Blogger posted some weird gibberish in the preceding comment that I deleted.)
I enjoyed exploring your site before reading your poetic response to the PT prompt: engaging mix of reality and humor, plus it's great to have found another blogger in the art field.
Your poem title is intriguing, definitely drawing the reader in to find out more and creative. I adored your last italicized stanza.
my favorite part is using the magnifying glass to reveal strings growing out of the husband's fingers. let she who is not yet married carry her magnifying glass with her on dates!
and there's a poem in your introduction also.
mines up now. better late than never
This is rather wonderful - fanciful and biting. What a perfect metaphor you've exploited here!
Am I crazy, or is this a little more obscure than usual? Maybe I'm a little crazy. I love the puppetry imagery. I think it's fantastic. But I won't pretend I understand the whole poem, which I think needs more thought on my part. It's complicated with the contrast between your beginning with "no strings attached" and the obvious strings being attached, and what would she be without that commitment? Hmmm.
I like The Wife.
oh g,
this is why I love poetry thursday! peopple help me think about my own poems when all i really want to do is write them. i never like to think abnout them, i just let the words come out (mostly). So, it is very good that you are questioning the very things that I wasn't sure worked. But, darn you. Now I have to think!
No, no, Jilly, I meant it all in a good way, a really good way. I meant that *I* need to think about it more, not you!
I too love the image of the strings growing out of the husband's fingertips -- very scary, but cool.
I also love the description of your anti-muse. It's a great way to look at your poetry.
The puppet image is so true.
Hard hitting!
This is great, very thought provoking. Yes The Wife is biting isn't she?
Damn those strings! What a great poem, Jill. I like the use of italics in the poem. I just wish it wasn't so true!
As far as titles, it sounds like you have a series. Have you ever put together your New Wife poems. Try laying them out on the floor and see what they tell you. Maybe you have enough for a chapbook or a book?
I feel like a hummingbird coming back to a source of nectar only to find dismay at the fact that the nectar is gone! Sad to see no joining from you at PT this week! But I am really happy to reread this poem!
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