Sunday, January 22, 2012

Linear Thinking


In a world of black and white,
tied to a blanket of fear,
you are cushioned from direct contact

You must compartmentalize
   -thoughts
   -feelings
   -relationships
each in its own separate bundle
to be categorized and filed away

minimized, stripped down to its essence
vacuum packed, freeze dried, neatly labeled.

With too many connections, one tug
of the string could pull everything down.
The center will not hold
and the first tear could create an ocean,
deep enough to drown in.

Do not dare to dream
or you may come undone.


This is written for the wonderful image provided by Tess Kincaid at The Mag and also posted at Poets United Poetry Pantry.


34 comments:

  1. Wonderful, Mary. Too often true, too.
    K

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  2. Interesting. I see this as an Asian woman and your second stanza seems to conform to the idea of the subjugation of Asian women. (It might be all in my head.) I like this very much!

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    1. Thank you Kat. I didn't really identify the woman in the image as Asian...at least not consciously. Interesting that you made that connection though, and I liked your take on the prompt as well.

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  3. Wonderful write! Lots of truth in that.

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  4. Without dreams there are no poets or poems.

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  5. Come undone
    But then you might not have no fun
    As crazy can be interesting indeed
    Just look at my feed..haha

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    1. Hahaha - I did read your feed...would the cat like to play with a ball of string today? lol

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  6. ..and that i will remember... clever thinking for such a great read... thanks for landing on my place... been tied up with so many office works that i almost forgot the other side of me... and how i missed poetry a lot... thanks for always appreciating my works!!!(:

    ~Kelvin

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    1. Oh, I'm glad you remembered your poet side! And thanks.

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  7. nice...to dream is surely a risk...as is exposing oneself as such...i think i would rather life to the full rather than compartmentalized...

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    1. Brian - Yup, guess that's why you're here. It's risky, but there is a risk/reward relation. Not much pay off for staying safe.

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  8. I like this. I relate to it well...lots of compartments; things intertwined but not really connected. Dear gaaawd, don't pull that string!

    It's a keeper. Thank you for sharing.

    -Hedone

    "I Like It Like That"

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    1. Hedone - lol, thanks for stopping by. lol, love your string comment!

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  9. I, too, thought she was hanging on for dear life. Good one, Mary!

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  10. One tug at the string could pull everything down...I've been there...nice write...

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    1. Thank you Tess - turned out to be a great prompt!

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  11. This is a clever reading of the prompt.

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  12. Quite a number of responses concentrate on "packaging" This is a good example. Thank you Mary.

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  13. You really used this prompt well! Dare to dream... take the risk of coming undone. :)

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  14. I wouldn't dare, dare myself to dream.....! Stunning write!

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  15. Mary, your poem gathered up my soul.

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