so he should stick to the stones.
I couldn’t resist posting this as a second poem for my prompt on With Real Toads, about promises. The above is a not-very-good photograph of a light sculpture by my dear husband, Jason Martin.
This entry was posted on February 14, 2015 at 9:07 pm and is filed under poetry, Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
I. So. Adore. This!!!!!!! “Just put the stones in my pocket and aim me for the pond.” Tell him it might be good to show you The Hours, first. LOL. I adore women’s humor! We are such a hoot!
Wow, and you went all Virginia Woolf in the end. . . nicely done.
what a wonderful way to drive the poem forward toward that end with stones in the pocket. The togetherness can be quite smothering sometimes. I think I would have helped with the potatoes though..
Ha. My husband helps a ton, actually does most of the cooking! I used to cook a great deal, but have somehow done too much of it in my life, and just don’t so much anymore. But a very good point! k.
Thank you, Polly–I read your book and mean to make some little review! I will try to get around to do this–thanks again. k.
This kind of promise requested from a loved one pushes all considerations aside, except for the whole question of how far one would go to give the loved one ultimate escape from pain. I greatly admire those who can provide the stones, or any other means out of this world when necessity demands a dignified end, knowing that I could never do it myself.
All hard questions, especially when pain comes into play.
These are not the familiar lover’s questions or promises, and yet, in so many ways, they are almost deeper, more needed. They also explore rather starkly the limits of love as we age, and the changing quality of what we need from the other, and from ourselves. Really, I found this chilling, and I also feel that the things I want to ask will be too much, too hard, and that I will need to find a way to make sure for myself that they are done. The smothering! What an image, what a metaphor, (so much so the sieve becomes very subtle, really) and how rational the discussion, where even Wolfeian promises of stones are a comfort not to be had. Really excellent, k–you are on a roll of late.
Ha–thanks–I meant it to be humorous, but I do understand the other side, of course–it was interesting as I did the other one first, Ode to Morning, in one of those moments where I had nothing to write but felt I had to write something for the prompt, so I started with just that idea of Ode again, and was very happy that it led somewhere–then this one,much more on point, came later. k.
This made me think of the book “Still Alice” (because she made a plan about how to end it). The indignity of old age and dementia is what I think of as I read this though the lighthearted (but serious) banter gives it a little sweetness.
This feels so real and wry and funny and touching. Life, in a nutshell, I guess.
Poor child! it’s hard enough that we die, but when we need their help–when they have permission to help? I’m not sure they can handle the emotions or the freedom!
You touch deeply with this amazingly crafted exchange. Nearly all of us have loved one afflicted with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This seems a believable desire, given such circumstances.
This is such a nuanced piece. Full of affection but also there’s a dark undercurrent. Loved it Thanks.
My husband and I will learn how much “togetherness” we can bear when he retires next year. I love the intimacy with a twist of dark in this piece!
I laughed at that. A very serious topic though. I fear pain, but yet I think life is birth and death and to cheat either scares me a bit. I follow an interesting blog – Mundane Faithfulness – a woman who is trying to embrace Grace and embrace her dying of cancer. Initially the blog started out as her journey to conquer this cancer, I’m sure. But, it is now about something else entirely. I find it interesting and a powerful testimony to not ending one’s life on their own terms. Not sure where I stand exactly – I fear pain, but … it has given me a lot to think about.
Sorry for having been scarce. Looking forward to catching up, if that’s ever possible in this blogosphere.
Ha. Too right. No worries re catching up. k.
I love how this line, “so he should stick to the stones” brings to mind that old saying…I don’t know if it was intentional but any way…yeah, I wouldn’t want to go out that way either.