Christina's Beast

[DanBierce]

Christina shuns the freaks,
all the rides, the dime-toss
towards the carnival glass prize.
She never gives the barkered games
of rings and darts a gamble.

Though she pines for the grower
of award-winning squash,
and would love to help
grow his crookneck,
she's yet to stroll
his stall of gourds
set beside the strawflowers.

Christina returns to straddle
an up-side-down tub
beside the sow
she prays the judge
deems fit for blue.

Her thirty-year collection
of runner-up cherryred ribbons
has faded to the pink tint
of her 4-H beast,
the rose cut and doomed
to a diary of squeals and wounds.

[~Sophia~]

What an interesting way to describe the "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" dis-ease a lot of women suffer. Nicely done!

[DanBierce]

Thanks, Sophia. This was inspired by Andrew Wyeth's painting titled "Christina's World."

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh yes, I wish I had recognized the inspiration for this fine, beautifully wrought portrait!

[Virgil]

This is fascinating and if it wasn't for Sophia I don't think I would have grapsed the theme. It is well done, though this stanza sounds off in rhythm and sound:

Christina returns to straddle
an up-side-down tub
beside the sow
she prays the judge
deems fit for blue.
Perhaps you intended it that way, but it does distract me away from the poem.

[DanBierce]

Thanks, Prince. Glad it works well for you.

[DanBierce]

Thanks, Virgil. The last two stanzas can probably use a little help as far as rhythm goes. When I read them out loud I can make them work, but I can see how readers might have a problem with them.

[Pendragon]

Her thirty-year collection
of runner-up cherryred ribbons
has faded to the pink tint
of her 4-H beast,
the rose cut and doomed
to a diary of squeals and wounds.

The last stanza brings your theme full circle quite cleverly! Awesome job!