30 Sept 2012

Sans Everthing

For this week's Mag 137, Tess gave us a picture by Francesca Woodman. For some strange reason the shadowed face brought to mind a quote from William Shakespeare's As You Like It - to wit "sans hair, sans teeth, sans taste, sans everything"- and by the time I'd 'played' with the image, these words became even more relevant.

With apologies to Tess, Francesca and William, here is my take on the theme.

Mere shadows of our former selves, we cry,
pleading for more attention. Will we die
unshriven, shrivelled up and forgotten?
As weary flesh and bones crumble, rotten,
past repair, will they remember times when
we would feast on love, feast on it again,
until replete? Who could be berated
for wishing time would halt? We are fated
to be at its mercy, no turning back
to seek love's sustenance which we now lack.


38 comments:

  1. You perfectly capture an emotion in the photo's face, one that most of us might not see...makes us think, but makes us also think there is potential....

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  2. I like the fading face in your own version of the picture ~

    I wish for time to stop too, but alas we are fated to be at its mercy ~

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  3. To eat, to feed, to find sustenance in that which is forever gone, what agony. I love your words and your colors.

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  4. I like your words and the perfect way you have made the picture fit.

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  5. I love this. Especially what you did with the image! That is incredible!

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  6. Ahh... yes so many of us are starved of love and, suffer from it too. Great poem Jinksy!

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  7. Time and its moves are tough- especially on the human heart!
    Thanks.

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  8. Sometimes the memory of what we used to have grinds us more than the actual lack thereof. Bravo, madam.

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  9. Good work here, Jinksy.
    Be pleased with it.

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    1. I'm pleased that one such as yourself saw fit to pat me on the back! :)

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  10. The thoughts that swirl through your writing here, Jinksy were similar to mine. "Will they remember times when we would feast on love?" ♥ I hope so. Thank you for sharing your wonderful words.

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  11. LoveloveLOVE the cadence of this, the subtle references back to the title, and eating. Such vivid imagery here. Wonderful.

    de
    whimsygizmo.wordpress.com

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  12. It's a first class poem. Have emailed you about line4/5,

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    1. Eh Bien! Lines 4/5 rejigged since I was last here. Now no one will understand the comment!

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    2. But I will! I tried to eliminate a cliché of sorts, on your advice i.e. ' rotten to their core'. Question now, is whether my alternative works?

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  13. this def has a Shakespearean feel to it!!

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  14. Time is the great omnivore, gobbling everything in its path and leaving us avec nothing. I agree about the Shakespeareque feel to this. It seems like there ought to be some witches around somewhere.

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  15. Cool, I like your take on this via Shakespeare, excellently paired with the image. Well done!

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  16. Will we die unshriven? A classic qustion.

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  17. I saw the sadness in this as well, the tragedy of it....

    http://strummedwords.blogspot.com

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  18. So sad... expressed beautifully.

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    1. You have to feel sorry for Francesca Woodman, who must have thought this way, or she wouldn't have committed suicide...

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  19. Oh Jinksy you don't need to apologize to anyone for that. Very powerful write!

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  20. Bravo Pen! Not only are your sentiments incredibly on target for those of a certain age... but your rhyme scheme is so subtle that it took me four readings to even recognize it! Wonderful.

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  21. Forgive me for a second comment. On a fifth reading I realize that it is precisely due to the truth of your statements that one reads on from line to line intent upon the message, missing the additional delight of your rhyme scheme.

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  22. Love what you did with the image ~ I see two footprints which seems appropriate. Shakespeare inspiration ~~ perfect.

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  23. You are so creative ... I love seeing how another's mind works.

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  24. Very poignant. Love the Shakespearian rhythm.

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  25. You capture the darkness here...the neediness...

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  26. Oh I don't think you should apologise to WIll for this, it's the very sincerest form of flattery. It seems we were both under his influence this week.
    I thought it was excellent, and of course the rhyme scheme appeals to me.

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  27. This is emotional and beautifully written.

    ~Imelda

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  28. Cleverly-written. Very thought-provoking, too.

    CJ x

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  29. Awesome. You have captured the image, the one in my head, anyway. : )

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  30. Ah, time has little mercy, to be sure. Nice work!

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  31. Wonderful , Jinksy . I am getting this cleaving of time and Dantes inferno type hell vibe with quite a few of these responses, but tours is the best !

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  32. Gee wizz - wonderful.
    alth time goes by and All I can say is - had a blogging break, but now back in Harness, and reviving my blog.

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  33. Your pen is mightier than the sword Jinksy!! :-)

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