Stanzas of ipecac
because I had been poisoned
right from the first formula Mama boiled til it bled.
Poisoned,
but I didn't
die
didn't
die
refused to
die.
Stanzas of ipecac
because I couldn't stomach
being a corporate wife or honcho
as prescribed in the pages pulped from the family tree.
Poisoned,
but I wouldn't
dance
wouldn't
dance
refused to
be a puppet on a string.
Stanzas of ipecac
because I fell in love
with him, with her, with words, with God
as revealed to me by a stand of trees or sly soft lips.
Drunk on the stuff,
I had to
sing
had to
sing
had to
scream and whisper my fool self hoarse.
Stanzas of ipecac
because stones and monsters and worlds grow inside me
and the first thing they want,
the thing they all desperately want,
the only thing they want
is out.
_______
for this.
Ipecac is so productive! And I’m right there with you pulling your hair back:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, that's a real friend! ;-)
Delete"Stanzas of ipecac
ReplyDeletebecause I fell in love
with him, with her, with words, with God"
Hot damn, that is tight.
Thanks. I kinda liked that myself!
DeleteOh, what a perfect expression of the urge to purge the words inside of us. Sometimes I write things that have no weight, but those things Ipecac brings up are my salvation. Thanks so much for writing for the prompt.
ReplyDeleteYep Susie, I think a lot of writers write to keep themselves reasonably sane and functional! I know it helps me tremendously to express this stuff.
Deleteokay cool - don't need to say more than this? do I?
ReplyDeleteA poem about barfage gets what it can get. ;-)
DeleteThe words need to get out... yes agreed.
ReplyDeleteMaybe writing is a bit like self exorcism
I am there holding your forehead and rubbing your back fren. Barfage is the bomb which explodes us out of our self.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing they want is out......perfect! The repeated words work so well in this poem.
ReplyDeleteYour repeating phrase is such a strong iteration of all that is so gut-wrenching about the poetic need to sing even when the words taste of bile. Especially then.
ReplyDeleteI love how you've used lines to emphasise the 'must do, or die' aspect of writing.
ReplyDeleteCan't get more visceral - or vital - than this. A bulimic hurl on the matter with mutter.
ReplyDeleteYour poems can punch like a prize fighter and then ... purr like a kitten.
ReplyDelete