Girl Talk

[~Sophia~]

Girl Talk - by Lidia Laidlaw pen name ~Sophia~

If I could speak to you - Frida, Léonor, Leonora - Margaret
I would fiery say your sibylline minds change me.

Those double jointed hips, diarized scars,
stapled nipples, retractable wombs

skeletons wired with explosives -

it was the fallout of you.
The heap of cleavage and clitoris.
Dirty laundry, dirty bombs imploding

the femme enfant only authorized
to live - to love between man’s while.

Clearly - giving life means taking life,
the quickening egg devouring its host.

I would tell you I have a new canvas
turned to the wall - the birth of death.

Remedios nailed to a bed, raptors emerging
two by two from the nest between her legs.

Fiercely - your sibylline hands rearrange me.

[kevinthediltz]

I thought this was just beautiful.
"it was the fallout of you.
The heap of cleavage and clitoris.
Dirty laundry, dirty bombs imploding

the femme enfant only authorized
to live - to love between man’s while."

An amazing set of lines.
As well as the change of the second line to the last.
This is my favorite of all I have read of yours, Sophia

[~Sophia~]

Thanks Kevin! The older I get the more I fall in love with (platonically) the strength and duality of women.

[Lokasenna]

I found it very eerie and disconcerting - its a very powerful effect, and indicative of an excellent poem.

Crikey, that really has shaken me...

[~Sophia~]

I found it very eerie and disconcerting - its a very powerful effect, and indicative of an excellent poem.

Crikey, that really has shaken me...

Hi Lokasenna! I'm not sure whether or not you are familiar with the female surrealist artists that emerged in the 30's and 40's. Frida Khalo, Léonor Fini, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. Just a few of the brave women that broke the mold and stepped into the realm of their male counterparts.

I find their art haunting and while I have not painted in a surrealist style too often in the past, I have been experimenting on canvas and allowing that duality to come out more and more in my own paintings.

I also refer to the poet Margaret Atwood because I love her style too. I might have written in Sylvia, Anne, Anais. The list of women I admire for stepping out of the role of man's muse into their own skin can go on and on.

Thanks so much for commenting and if you are interested, it's quite easy to google anyone of them!

[The Comedian]

~Sophia~,

Wow. I love it. It's strong, vivid, & real.

Thanks for sharing it here.

:)

[~Sophia~]

Thanks Comedian (great name). I'm very pleased that you enjoyed it. The poem may not seem like it but, in many ways, it's a celebration. Cheers!

[Virgil]

Very powerful Sophia. I think it's great. What an odd image, "retractable wombs." I can't say I completely understand it, but it felt confident and strong. No place I see for improvement. My favorite part was this:

Those double jointed hips, diarized scars,
stapled nipples, retractable wombs

skeletons wired with explosives -

[~Sophia~]

Thanks Virgil! Your comments always mean a lot.

(ps... a womb/uterus expands while a fetus is growing then contracts again after the birth. Metaphorically retractable).

[Lokasenna]

Hi Lokasenna! I'm not sure whether or not you are familiar with the female surrealist artists that emerged in the 30's and 40's. Frida Khalo, Léonor Fini, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. Just a few of the brave women that broke the mold and stepped into the realm of their male counterparts.

I find their art haunting and while I have not painted in a surrealist style too often in the past, I have been experimenting on canvas and allowing that duality to come out more and more in my own paintings.

I also refer to the poet Margaret Atwood because I love her style too. I might have written in Sylvia, Anne, Anais. The list of women I admire for stepping out of the role of man's muse into their own skin can go on and on.

Thanks so much for commenting and if you are interested, it's quite easy to google anyone of them!

I must confess that I do not know of them - a general rule of thumb for me is that if they're writing after 1916, I almost certainly haven't heard of them!

I will, however, go and look them up. Thank you for the illumination!

[~Sophia~]

Hi Lokasenna

Other than Margaret Atwood, they are all painters (though a couple have dabbled in poetry and diaries, excerpts that were published posthumously). But, if you google their names, you'll find that all out. Cheers!

[Lokasenna]

Ah, misread your post... I was wondering why they had seemed to be doing lots of paintings and not much poetry....:blush:

[~Sophia~]

LOL... that explains it. Hope you enjoyed their art and Margaret's poetry (she's still very much alive).

[Virgil]

Thanks Virgil! Your comments always mean a lot.

(ps... a womb/uterus expands while a fetus is growing then contracts again after the birth. Metaphorically retractable).

Oh then that makes wonderful sense. When a phrase works in a special way like that it is much more powerful.

[a_little_wisp]

Thanks Kevin! The older I get the more I fall in love with (platonically) the strength and duality of women.


And only you could capture it, Sophia. Every word you write speaks of experience and a deep understanding for the mystery that is ... well, us. This is, indeed, a celebration - you, turning that portrait to the wall, you creating your own work, you mastering your own life. You're right up there with these powerful, creative women - the vivid images you create, images only a true poet like you could create, are no less striking, no less meaningful. Beautiful job, Sophia!

[~Sophia~]

Virgil: thanks for that! Again I want to say, I consider your thoughtful comments (all around Lit-Net) a barometer for the validity of the work!


-------------------------------------------------



This is, indeed, a celebration

Wispy! I'm so glad to hear from you! This poem was absolutely intended as a celebration of the duality of me/you/us - all of the feminine.

I cherish beyond belief the comments I've gotten regarding this poem but I've got to admit, I was somewhat surprised that they were all from men. Had I been a gambler (before posting) I would have bet the farm it would be mostly women responding.

Thank you for your big-hearted compliments and ... guess who loves ya!