Whiplash Marriage
by Bill Yarrow
A wrench flies through the air and cracks your
windshield. It's the unexpected that makes life so
smashing. Like walking along a lake and seeing
apes come out of the water. Like talking to a physician
about the half-life of hope. Like waking up to the sound
of pleading. There are many ways to begin to die
but one is not surprise. We all have an ageing uncle
who offers in his handshake the strength he still pretends.
He was married to a petty woman of endemic energy.
They sired your most obnoxious cousins. I wish I had
a mirror implanted in my brain so that I could see my life
less directly than I do. I had a dream the daylight needed
repainting. I called my uncle in Kentucky. He said he'd take
care of it, but then he died when his car T-boned a dove.
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Author's Note
A version of this poem originally appeared in WRENCH (erbacce-press, 2009). It was republished in Poetry International (print mag).
The poem appears in Pointed Sentences (BlazeVOX, 2012).
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some fine lines
The half life of hope...
A dozen poems here all itching to get out on their own or a bunch of tremendous first lines, who knows – all wonderful. Love the ending, that image of a man driving into a dove is stuck in my mind (maybe he's driving a white car as well...)
I second Shelagh; this is a terrific poem which keeps uncorking surprises all the way to the end.
Yeah, really like it (esp. that last leetle wordbird).
This is sparkling with energy, zigging and zagging with surprise. GREAT stuff. *
This is terrific! That line "daylight needed repainting." Wow!
fave!
A surprise in every line.What a way to begin the day.
This piece answers the question on everyone's mind, "How is a poem like a box of Cracker Jacks?"
Fave
Poetry as only you create it. I whiplash through the graphic imagery in the first five lines with ease, wondering about the connection with the title, before I abruptly decelerate to ponder: "There are many ways to pretend to die . . . " Then a story appears with dream-like symbolic details of dysfunctional family connections. "I wish I had / a mirror implanted in my brain so I could see my life / less directly than I do." Huh! And the uncle from Kentucky drives into a dove, or turns into a dove, perhaps. I enjoyed reading it.
Both surreal and very concrete in an amazing way. *
Really fantastic story. I love it!
The poem is lined perfectly for the voice, Bill. Great piece.
Powerful work, Bill. This: "I wish I had
a mirror implanted in my brain so I could see my life less directly than I do." Yes.
I'd love one of those mirrors! Brilliant. *
Oh my, I love this. I’ve been reading it over and over, and it’s beginning to take root in my brain. I needed some inspiration this morning, so thank you!! *
love the movement of this, the whip from wrench to dove, the mirror in between, how you bring us back around.
this about describes my mood this early in the year: waiting for the unexpected, hoping for it. even a wrench will do. cracking piece, bill.
'...a puissant woman of endemic energy'
'I wish I had/
a mirror implanted in my brain so I could see my life/
less directly than I do. I had a dream the daylight needed/
repainting.'
Perfect lines. Great poem. *
So many lovely lines in this poem, too many to quote back! Admire your choices so very much, your word pairings, and phrases, and depth of outlook, theme and metaphor. How do you do it? Fav. Fav. Fav.
this is fantastic. the first two lines. and "i had a dream the daylight needed painting." the last line.
all so good.
Wonderful lines, each could stand on it's own. This has a particular circularity, from the wrench to the dove. Just super. Peace *
Excellent looping of the parts back around to the infinite moment. Truly a great piece worthy of enshrinement: It's the unexpected that makes life so
smashing.
Enjoyed the whiplash you create with the form and the words. Everything flows together so nice.
Wonderful poem, Bill. *
I love the last line of this, Bill. Makes everything snap closed.
excellence in this writing
a fave
This poem includes the balance between metaphor, concrete image, and accessibility that I always hope I'll capture in the poems I write. You're a fine poet, Bill
Ah, this touches me so much it hurts. Thank you for this beautiful writing...
One vivid image tumbling before the other. This is a very fine piece. The ending is wrenching, and loaded with more than a few meanings...
I so liked this, Bill, so many elements to like, and your fine wording. Translates something universal through a specific voice and experience. *
So many strong images expressed in clear and flowing lines.
The line
"Like waking up to the sound
of pleading."
is scary and strong because I wonder who is doing the waking and who is doing the pleading.
"They sired your most obnoxious cousins." Don't we all have such cousins. :)
I love this Bill... "I wish I had a mirror implanted in my brain so I could see my life
less directly than I do." This read very Brautigan to me.
fave*
I love that: "the half-life of hope". Excellent.
A whiplash journey. *
Love that last line.
You have such a skill for traveling great distances in a very short space and time. Nice work!
Glad to bridge the nearly three year gap from Mar 2013 to here, and, fwiw, push this to an even 1000 views. It's just a number. But this not 'just' a poem.*
"I had a dream the daylight needed repainting." Great line!
Thanks, Roz!
Every line is amazing. ***