Saturday, November 8, 2014

Dear Misery,


I miss you.  I really do.
You were always there
ready to make merry,
happy as a shitfaced clown
on Saturday afternoon.

But back to niceties,
you played the fiddle
and I danced
to your tormented tune

like a
jilted wife
waiting for another truth.

Is that dancing?
Hell, yes.
You should see my shoes,
all tapped out, so to speak.

I love you.  Come back.
Though there’s nothing left here
for you except

a .22.



© 2014 Jennifer Wagner


My more sensitive readers may not appreciate my strong language in this one, and I hope I haven’t lost you, but sometimes, you have to get ugly when you’re fighting monstersthere’s beauty in it...

12 comments:

Mary said...

Wow, Jennifer -- that is one strong poem. Sometimes strong language IS necessary. And sometimes mixed feelings DO reigh.

Wendy Bourke said...

An intense articulation of the cycle of physical and/or mental abuse (tension building, acting out, reconciliation/honeymoon, calm … tension building …) that exists in a controlling patriarchal based relationship. Dancing to a tormented tune - an effort to do everything possible to avoid the onset of the tension building. And the reconcilation/honeymoon phase would, I imagine, generate feelings that there really is love in the relationship. Well penned, Jennifer.

Anonymous said...

powerful, Jen. there are different ways of putting the hammer down... ~

Rajesh said...

A .22! And the misery as a circus clown. Well, it is very lucid image. Hard to forget. May you never have to dance that dance ever.

Grace said...

I love the strong words...sometimes it is needed to give a powerful message ~ Well done Jennifer ~

Jody Lee Collins said...

Rejoicing that misery is gone..........yay!
Jesus was a pretty strong character when he told the devil off, too.

:-)

Justin Lamb said...

Strong poem, Jennifer. I'm not sure what your story is behind it but I found much of my struggle with depression in this poem. Thank God for overcoming difficult obstacles!

Justin Lamb said...

Also, thanks for mentioning Janet/Twigs & Stones. I'm looking forward to reading her tanka poems. I'm new to the form but I love it so far.

Namrata said...

It's not at all ugly. Rather I find it a powerful portrayal. No doubt one might find psychic streaks here and there. Still I say I like it. :)

Sabio Lantz said...

Nicely done Jennifer

Cressida de Nova said...

Shit faced clowns can really spoil a Saturday:)

Simple Pure Thoughts said...

This is a powerful piece. I really liked how you presented it! :)