Why am I so frightened
To say I'm me
And publicly acknowledge
My small mastery?
Waiting for sixty years
Till the people take out the horses
And draw me to the theatre
With triumphant voices?
I know this won't happen
Until it's too late
And the deed done (or not done)
So I prevaricate, Egging
them on and keeping
Roads open (just in case)
Go on! Go on and do it
In my place!
Giving love to get it
(The only way to behave).
But hated and naked
Could I stand up and say
Fuck off! or, Be my slave!
To be in a very unfeminine
Very unloving state
Is the desperate need
Of anyone trying to write.
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Comments
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a slight challenge to embrace
I think to understand this poem is to understand the poet and her times. Seems to be quite an introverted look at her experiences and emotions--and she just writes it down, not caring what anyone thinks. She feels frustrated by her lack of being able to write, by her gender and by her situations. She questions how she is supposed to act, and then questions if she should even care how to act. To debase this a little,line 21 could be the Bette Davis/Joan Crawford/Kate Hepburn image. I think of these particular icons because they were known to be progressive for their time period--head strong women not afraid to put their foot down.
As the poem progresses, you can feel her steam rising, and can almost hear her yelling, I MUST BE ME! I MUST WRITE! Then, she quickly ropes in those that are reading it, and tells them it "is the desperate need
of anyone trying to write."
The first four lines are a general blank statement that I think is true for anyone that writes. There are times when one questions his or her level of skill, but somehow, to get past that,takes work/effort.
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Elizabeth Smart died in 1986 at the age of 73 SweetnSentitivegirl, so there is no chance of the last line being altered now
Thanks for your interest in Oldpoetry
Von
Oldpoetry Team -
i think it was a very interesting poem. so the poem was good but the ending is a turn off. maybe try a lil more. on your poems i think it would be good without that ending. so just trust me.
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Wow, wasn't expecting that turn at the end. Very interesting... and she was the mistress of my new favorite poet? Even more interesting...
Kate
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