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Friday, August 3, 2012

Family



Family

Family,
this connection of flesh and blood
is one long muscle of lineage and kin.
What happens when a shock
strikes,
rips like sciatic lightning,
cuts sudden and deep?

No one muscle moves
alone...
in any movement.

Does muscle tear,
form scars,
enlarge,
emerge stronger?

Do hamstrings tighten
to maintain center,
to stand
upright?

Will the muscle belly
pull in
and bind back upon itself,
forever changed
unable to recoil, to rest?

... remain open,
gashed and bloody?

Will it leave the tribe
limping?

Blood ties
do not always
mean smooth flow,
cannot always
connect
family.

Sometimes family
does not mean
family.


This poem is written for We Write Poems poetry prompt #117, "what words mean" on August 2, 2012, at http://wewritepoems.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/prompt-117-its-post-your-poems-day/

The prompt asks:  Write a poem that begins and ends with a one word line, that word being the same at both beginning and ending. Yet allow the body of the poem to create that shift in meaning for that one word.


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

An interesting take on family - thought-provoking

Elizabeth said...

Hi Carol, like what you did with the prompt and you are right, sometimes family means other than blood related. Like how you used the image to underscore what you had to say extending the idea of injured muscles and tissue that don't recover fully. I've seen that in my own family.

Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

I like how you tied the muscle groups and injury to family. It works really well. Welcome to the group. Annette

Carol Steel said...

Hi Polly,
Families are intriguing combinations of people, aren't they? When they work, they teach us as much as when they don't work too.

Carol Steel said...

Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for your comment and feedback on my images and for sharing your perceptions of family. I appreciate it.

Carol Steel said...

Hello hoofprintsinmygarden,

Thanks for your comment. I felt satisfied with the way the imageries played off one another too. And thank you for the welcome.

irene said...

Interesting analogy, Carol. I think the first stanza is strong. So glad to have you writing to the prompt, welcome!

Anonymous said...

This is really wonderful, Carol. What a great word choice to build a poem around and you did it so artfully. This was a great prompt and seems to have brought out some of the best yet... I'm eager to have the time to explore more of your writings.

Carol Steel said...

Thanks for the comments Irene. I think the first stanza is the best, and also that the last stanza needs something. I'm not able to see what it is yet. I do often go back to poetry I've blogged and change it...if inspiration hits

Carol Steel said...

Hello cashmeremist,

Thanks for your comments. I liked the analogy between the muscles and and family, as well. It gave me lots of options for writing.

Jules said...

Reminds me of my family... the blood and not so bloody parts :)
You took 'body' literally - fun!
I was 'strained' in a different way:
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/08/wwp-117-strained-elfje-quintet.html
There are so many good prompts and just not enough time! Nice to see you here.

Carol Steel said...

Thanks Jules. Family can be both good and bad, strained and cohesive...always a mix of the two.

Sara McNulty said...

This is unique and made me think about it for awhile. Good one, Carol.

Carol Steel said...

Thanks Sara,

If we don't appreciate the family we come from we don't evolve beyond what they are and that's a tragedy. Thanks for the comment.