Sunday, November 16, 2008

response to a poem by Christine

Christine's poem is called "How I Made Friends With Fear"
Her site is: balanced on the edge

A Larger Size

The buttons on my sweater
strain at the thread.

This is partly because I am
growing, but also

because I am scared of moving on
to a larger size.

That big-girl world
runs rampant with responsibility.

To hang from the side of a
skyscraper, cleaning mirror glass,

to stare at myself
rub splotches made by birds

breathe the cold clouds
from my lips.

This is a balancing act
I'd rather skip out on-

shimmy down the tower and
crawl underground,

allow the buttons to burst
from their holes.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Holy, this poem is amazing! What raw emotions, yet such tender details. The stretching sweater, the refusal to go to a larger size, argh, the pathos. I think many women, and men can relate to this poem. The ending is almost surreal, and very imaginative, yet also sad. Wonderful, wonderful, I can't stop gushing.

Anonymous said...

I left off the "l" in your name, duh!

holly said...

hehe. I'm so pleased you like it. And it's okay, I know some French people who mispronounce my name in that way, except they leave off the "h" sound too...it reminds me of them.

Scot said...

everything about this is good

Anonymous said...

Wonderful. Love that button line!

holly said...

thank you all!

Anonymous said...

I agree with everyone. This is an excellent poem, and I think everyone (especially women) can relate to it. I wonder why we spend so much time worrying about it? But it is one of my fears, too. Beautiful details, too. I also like how it goes from the concrete to the surreal world. That's where fear usually takes us, and this response comes across so well.

holly said...

Let's see...I also wanted a more metaphorical meaning behind this...about the adult world vs. the child..."big-girl" is addressing that too. I don't know. Maybe it's because I've addressed that before in my work that it comes across totally that way and not much on the adult/child side. Suggestions?

Cynthia said...

Wonderful, a woman's song of
freedom just within her reach.
Love - breathe the cold clouds
from my lips.

Anonymous said...

Hi, just wanted you to know that I'm still thinking of a poem to write in response to this terrific piece. A busy week. Are you on break now?

holly said...

not quite yet...I have to work Monday and Tuesday, but it will be a calm week, and then I go to my folks'! I'm excited about seeing my mommy and daddy...

Anonymous said...

Now that I've read this poem a few more times, I understand better the intent, and the metaphor. But it can be read on a different levels, which is a good thing.

holly said...

Thank you Christine, and this is important in all poetry, I think...the multiple levels. I never meant to say my poem should be read a certain way. I just wanted to know if the "other" meaning I had in mind came across. I appreciate the fact that you read it more than once. I really really do.

paisley said...

i stopped in at christines,, and then here before i even read her poem in response.. i am so glad i did,, as this exact subject has been peculating in my brain all morning... don't be surprised if you see yet more "run off" on this subject posted by me later in the day..

this was excellently executed holly,, and a precursor of feeling many of us can embrace..

Anonymous said...

i came from christine's also--really fun to see the similar theme and very different executions!

interesting bat-girl image--how she is both high in the sky and underground...love the metaphor

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