The Poetry Marathon

She decorated the butterfly net
Like one would expect her to:
Pink ribbons tied on the handle.
They fluttered in the gentle breeze
As she reached out a tiny hand,
And scooped up the small snake.
The science teacher said, “That is a great specimen”
The English teacher said, “Though she be but tiny, she is fierce”
She donned her graduation gown
Like the other girls did, too,
Over her dress and high heels.
And those who remember the pink ribbons
Smile, and watch to see what happens next.

And sometimes
When she slips on her faded tartan shirt
And liberates her hair from its braid
When the sun kisses her fair cheeks
And her eyes glow emerald

He thinks he catches a glimpse of something
Ancient and ageless
He thinks he catches a fragrance of something
Heather and peat
And he would not tame her
Even if he could

The dragonflies hovering around the cemetery were copper, I noticed,
As I tuned out the useless voices droning at the head of the casket.
Copper dragonflies, as it turned out, made me feel better.

The dragonfly my daughter hennaed onto my hand was copper, I noticed,
As I listened to her soft alto, laughing at the table with her best friend.
Copper dragonflies, as it turns out, still make me feel better.

I said no and
The sky did not fall.

I said no and
The police did not call.

I said no and
The world did not end.

I said no —
I might say it again.

We looked so carefree and happy, and
No one was allowed to know that we were not.
We maintained the requisite image — laughing and waving.
No one saved us from the black waters underneath; but
We saved ourselves. And we are no longer drowning.

A Golden Shovel poem, based on the line “and not waving but drowning” from the Stevie Smith poem, “Not Waving But Drowning”.

*Volta — the turn at the end of the poem that marks a dramatic shift in tone

Fear
Is a funny
Creature.

It cowers inside
Jockeying for position
With your heart
(racing)
And lungs
(gasping)
And sometimes — oh —
With a rude jolt
To the bladder.

It takes up space
Preferably occupied
By your hopes
(don’t bother)
And dreams
(don’t dare)
And sometimes — ow —
With a painful blow
To your ego.

But Fear
Is just a
Creature.

Take it out
Into the light
Hold it in your hand
(tickle it, see what happens)
Put it in your pocket
(pull it out to frighten the others)
And sometimes — yes —
Look it in the eye
And tell it no.