forbidden voice

[motherhubbard]

If I use my voice
A voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish
giving voice to inner thoughts.
Self expression.
It would be criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you disappear
Still silence screams with force, a terrible force
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

[symphony]

once again u leave me wow-ing!
this particular poem is constantly reminding me of this following one that i wrote the week before last...

'Hark! The night speaks to us!
My ears yearn to hear the lyre,
My eager soul awaits
The senses of the voices of the silence;
For the night has stories in its depths,
Those which are bound, and pound to come out as sounds
Knock and scream at the door of darkness
To unfreeze, and be released in the ease of the night.
*** *** ***'

Mine was nothing compared to this, but the idea of "silence screaming" reminded me of this one. U rock, mother! :D U really are one who can make Strength tremble at ur feet! :thumbs_up

[Bii]

This is excellent, I so love the final line, it has the perfect level of closure about it, almost as though you whispered it. I think we can all relate to the feeling of holding back from saying what we really mean, a most unpleasant feeling which you have captured well, but beautifully.

*Edit*

So you inspired me, and I felt compelled to write something as a homage. It's not much but the best I can do in 20 minutes (I'm supposed the be working!):

Sew

I sew my lips closed,
a conscious, decisive act.
Glorifying in the pain
as needle punctures tender
flesh, pulling, pulling.

I sew my eyes closed,
so I might see.
Lashes clasping lashes,
love’s hope blinded.
Blood stains my thoughts red.

I sew my mind closed,
absolving senses,
freed perception.
Knowing only this;
I am one. I exist.

[Granny5]

If I use my voice
A voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish
giving voice to inner thoughts.
Self expression.
It would be criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you vanish
Still silence screams with force, a terrible force
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

Beautiful and moving.
You did good kid.

[motherhubbard]

For the night has stories in its depths,


symphony, it is you that wows us!

[motherhubbard]

This is excellent, I so love the final line, it has the perfect level of closure about it, almost as though you whispered it. I think we can all relate to the feeling of holding back from saying what we really mean, a most unpleasant feeling which you have captured well, but beautifully.

*Edit*

So you inspired me, and I felt compelled to write something as a homage. It's not much but the best I can do in 20 minutes (I'm supposed the be working!):

Sew

I sew my lips closed,
a conscious, decisive act.
Glorifying in the pain
as needle punctures tender
flesh, pulling, pulling.

I sew my eyes closed,
so I might see.
Lashes clasping lashes,
love’s hope blinded.
Blood stains my thoughts red.

I sew my mind closed,
absolving senses,
freed perception.
Knowing only this;
I am one. I exist.


Not saying what I really mean is my constant way of life.

Your poem is so amazing. It squeezed my heart and it's still not beating right. My eyes burn with this feeling all the time.

[Bii]

Not saying what I really mean is my constant way of life.

Your poem is so amazing. It squeezed my heart and it's still not beating right. My eyes burn with this feeling all the time.


Thank you, it's always an honour when this comes from you.

It is hard, isn't it, being a woman and a mother in a harsh and cruel world. Always negotiating, facilitating, mediating. And lots of other words ending in 'ing'!

[motherhubbard]

Bii, i'm inged out tonight!

[Niamh]

another wonderful poem. God you must have one hell of a talent cornucopia in your brain to canstantly come out with poems like this.

[symphony]

Bii, i'm inged out tonight!
Devastat'ing'.
I see my own mother everyday. and i know how hard it is (i wont say i understand cuz i wont till my time comes, if it does). She struggles to keep up with office, home, finance(now that my dad's retired), and god knows what else. At the end of the day when i look at her face, i see nothing there except a drained look, or may be the struggles of the next day.

[motherhubbard]

Devastat'ing'.
I see my own mother everyday. and i know how hard it is (i wont say i understand cuz i wont till my time comes, if it does). She struggles to keep up with office, home, finance(now that my dad's retired), and god knows what else. At the end of the day when i look at her face, i see nothing there except a drained look, or may be the struggles of the next day.

symphony, it's not motherhood so much as womanhood. Or really it's some standard that causes me to keep silent like a "lady" or some poo like that.

[symphony]

why do i always get the idea that ur always talking abt being a mother in ur poems or any of ur posts?! is it ur username and avatar that influences me?!

[motherhubbard]

maybe its because all i've been for more than a decade is a mother. But I am beginning to be myself and that is changing things

[Granny5]

maybe its because all i've been for more than a decade is a mother. But I am beginning to be myself and that is changing things

YOU GO GIRL!!!
mousy is not a word I'd use to describe you and you may have been a little mousy in some areas for a while. Good to see the real you.

[motherhubbard]

Thanks mom

[Bii]

maybe its because all i've been for more than a decade is a mother. But I am beginning to be myself and that is changing things


I can completely empathise with this - you don't realise it, but parenthood (perhaps not just motherhood) swamps you, and you forget who you are. I'm glad to hear you're fighting back, and starting to find yourself again.

[motherhubbard]

If I use my voice
A voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish
giving voice to inner thoughts.
Self expression.
It would be criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you vanish
Still silence screams with force, a terrible force
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

If I use my voice,
this hidden voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish
giving life to inner thoughts.
Self expression.
It would be criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you vanish
Still silence screams with force, a terrible force
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

I like this better. what do you think?

[Bii]

Yes, it's subtly different but I agree, the second version is more powerful.

[Pendragon]

Mum

Where is that voice so soft and gentle,
That magic that healed wounds with a kiss?
Where those eyes that saw the truth
Even through the wall of lies I built?
Where the hand that lead me onward
Even when I rebelled and broke her heart?
A mother's love is stronger than any known substance,
I hear her still today over the telephone:
"I'll love you forever, no matter what."
And I am reassured and believe in the power of love...

Pendragon
© 7/25/07

For my own Mother:
Peggy Wymer Harris

[symphony]

since we're talking all voices, i guess the previous version was alright.
inner thoughts can say it too. but the idea of ur voice being the voice of inner thoughts was sth else i think.
but lets see what the others think.

oh and i think the use of "hidden voice" sounds perfect.

[Granny5]

Mum

Where is that voice so soft and gentle,
That magic that healed wounds with a kiss?
Where those eyes that saw the truth
Even through the wall of lies I built?
Where the hand that lead me onward
Even when I rebelled and broke her heart?
A mother's love is stronger than any known substance,
I hear her still today over the telephone:
"I'll love you forever, no matter what."
And I am reassured and believe in the power of love...

Pendragon
© 7/25/07
For my own Mother:
Peggy Wymer Harris
Pendragon, this is so beautiful and sweet. Thank you.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Thank you, it's always an honour when this comes from you.

It is hard, isn't it, being a woman and a mother in a harsh and cruel world. Always negotiating, facilitating, mediating. And lots of other words ending in 'ing'!

Reading these exchanges between you and Mother is much like the experience I've had with my three kids: in addition to loving each of them (as - let it be known - I love both you and Mother), I used to marvel at their loving relationships with each other, which were like additional entities I loved.

In case I got that too fancied up, let me say more plainly: it's a privilege and a pleasure to look on at the admiration and I think love between the two of you!

[PrinceMyshkin]

If I use my voice
A voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish
giving voice to inner thoughts.
Self expression.
It would be criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you vanish
Still silence screams with force, a terrible force
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

I wonder if you're aware of the wonderful echoes of KJV OT there are in this?

[PrinceMyshkin]

This is excellent, I so love the final line, it has the perfect level of closure about it, almost as though you whispered it. I think we can all relate to the feeling of holding back from saying what we really mean, a most unpleasant feeling which you have captured well, but beautifully.

*Edit*

So you inspired me, and I felt compelled to write something as a homage. It's not much but the best I can do in 20 minutes (I'm supposed the be working!):

Sew

I sew my lips closed,
a conscious, decisive act.
Glorifying in the pain
as needle punctures tender
flesh, pulling, pulling.

I sew my eyes closed,
so I might see.
Lashes clasping lashes,
love’s hope blinded.
Blood stains my thoughts red.

I sew my mind closed,
absolving senses,
freed perception.
Knowing only this;
I am one. I exist.

Lovely. And though not everyone might get to see this in conjunction with Mother's poem, there is a wonderful intriguing play between her final "I am more" and your "I am one. I exist".

[Countess]

MotherH, in my crony curmudgeoned' opinion, this is the very best poem you've ever written. I prefer passionate poetry over reflective poetry - and you have pulled strong emotion out of me with this one. I hear your "silent screaming". More, please.
PS: I think it typifies the modern female experience, which goes to your credit - because it's these sorts of poems that succeed and make their way into prizes and anthologies and such, not silly supernatural stories. Consider entering it in a contest.

[Pendragon]

Pendragon, this is so beautiful and sweet. Thank you.Thank you. I wrote one for my mother long ago that she keeps in her Bible, but I cannot find it at the momment in my files of hard copy. Many are not on this computer as I haven't yet typed them in. But I have the original hard copies from Brothers Brand typewriter and my first word processor. The ones I had on disk are on computer and flash drive.

Pen

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/AbsalomKane/Smilies/PuppyLove.gif

[motherhubbard]

I've been going back through some of my older things today to make changes. I think this is how it should be.

I feel my voice,
this hidden voice so loud the young will cry and
the deaf will shield their ears,
so powerful that strength will crumble and
weakness will vanish.
Giving life to inner thoughts
and self expression
is criminal, forbidden.
Submit, lie down
Hold your breath until you disappear.
Still, silence screams with force, a terrible force.
Hear and see that there is more, I am more.

[CdnReader]

I really like this, MH. Would you consider, pulling "I am more" down on a line of its own" to give your ending a bit more oomph? Just a thought. :)

[motherhubbard]

Yes Cdn, I don't know why I hadn't done that.