Great Moments in Blindness
by Bill Yarrow
I am complicit in the darkness. It trails
after me like the milky spoor of a mother
skunk. I breathe it out in stumpy conversation
I must have learned from television. Well, this
lack of vision is my own fault. I should have
known better than to circumcise my heart
and bathe my eyes in witch hazel.
I was already an adult when I stood in that cage
with you. We bent our knees and rocked it
side to side, higher and higher, and you laughed,
you laughed, and when we almost sent it over
the top, you screamed with laughter, you
shrieked for joy. But you weren't laughing.
No. I see that now. You were just screaming.
after me like the milky spoor of a mother
skunk. I breathe it out in stumpy conversation
I must have learned from television. Well, this
lack of vision is my own fault. I should have
known better than to circumcise my heart
and bathe my eyes in witch hazel.
I was already an adult when I stood in that cage
with you. We bent our knees and rocked it
side to side, higher and higher, and you laughed,
you laughed, and when we almost sent it over
the top, you screamed with laughter, you
shrieked for joy. But you weren't laughing.
No. I see that now. You were just screaming.
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Author's Note
This poem appeared as part of a 2010 e-book entitled "Wound Jewelry" published by new aesthetic.
The poem appears in Pointed Sentences (BlazeVOX, 2012).
Other stories by Bill Yarrow
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This immediately brought to mind Lowell's "To Speak of the Woe that is in Marriage." Dark and spot on, Bill.
Beautifully crafted poetry. A joy to read, bittersweet. Why does that ending make me laugh?
Beautiful poem. Brilliant title. *
Surprising and exact word decisions in the first stanza, and the second is almost a shock. *
Damn, Bill. Just ... damn!
Brilliant finish.
Sharp stuff. *
Good stuff.
(I mentally place a little physical doodad to separate the two/eliminate expectation of narrative flow.)
Powerful things happening here. Great, Bill.
V. 2 is terrific.
Ah, how I love to read your poetry, Bill. It revives me like no other.
Ah, how I love to read your poetry, Bill. It revives me like no other.
I would respond to each of you individually on your walls, but Fictionaut is not letting me.
So thanks for the comments and faves, Joani, J, Kim, Ann, James, Jen, Matt, Kari, Jack and Darryl. You are all kind souls.
I love this. The two halves are so different, the first all dark and dense and the second, really funny (in a cruel way!) It's good.
Good stuff. Always enjoy reading your poetry.
I adore your first line. And then the image of a heart circumcised. but the final stanza, whoa. It makes me ache. peace *
Wow.
Great piece. I especially love the very last line. So impactful...
Really like. The last two lines are particularly arresting. That close reminded me a little of 'Not Waving But Drowning.'
i love how you use repetition in the second stanza in particular and the images in the first. glad you didn't make me choose. masterful.
Very enjoyable, very well written, from the title on.
This is amazing, Bill. Something makes me want to take out that "just" in the last sentence.
Oh Bill, this is so good, so well done. I will read this again today. Serious love.
Love that first line, "I am complicit in darkness." I'm jealous. Really wish I'd written that! :) You could write an entire novel after that. . . .
enjoyed this poem Bill.
in rilke's cage....
pacing,
faving
Lovely poem, Bill. I check in at Fictionaut infrequently, and it seems I'm missing some fine quality writing.
Nice journey on the topic of seeing something you thought was true in a different light.