The font I chose for the title looks a bit like a puzzle; unfortunately, it won't come up at AD. Sorry. Hope the poem isn't more of a puzzler than intended. 'So, speak!
T h a n k s ! Pea <3
You know how it is. A sudden bump, and life spills all over. You stumble, you start to spin. Upside-down can’t see. But still shots dimly light the haze as spinning slows. One thing: Hope you like jigsaw puzzles.
Doing your best to chill, you begin working the thing. But. . .help?! An important piece is gone. Others refuse to surface. You squat on shaky ground staring at an eye here, an elbow there. Smile, arched brow, pale frown. . .bandage? Unrecognizable bits are now spread all over. You crawl on your knees, hunting for matches. Find one, the rest don’t fit. Angle’s are all wrong. Size, shape, hue. Wrong, wrong. . . wait! This one could be part of the border. Edge looks straight, you think. Then, under a cushion in that embarrassing fluff grabbed a bent and gnawed toothpick, a penny, nacho chips and Debbie-cake crumbs, a piece you have looked for forever has to be key. All your life, you have hunted. All your life, in the hope of a whole picture. Yet. . .
. . .there is something beautiful about pieces that refuse to wedge together. Having to give control to the designer and maker. Who maybe caused the upset? To tell you life’s puzzles are meant to be worked with help? Or. . .choke, sigh.
Insight leaves as it comes, in a flash. All you can think is, there is no picture to go by. More than one puzzle! Hundreds or thousands for each of us. Family takes a whole factory’s worth. Objects you think you knew inside and out have scattered to collages no jigsaw could have cut. The leaning tree outside the window. Dog, cat, web. Constant, never-ending War. Hurt we humans. . .why are we so blind to the way we all fit? Need our own puzzles, but one for all.
Like me, you have counted on seeing and feeling where the edges might be. Flesh going with flesh. Solid frame. Pieces break, sure. Get mauled, get lost. But we have memory to paint them in. Best puzzles hard, we are up for that. But give us some breaks, okay?
. . .but yes. There is something beautiful about pieces that refuse to wedge together. Having to give control to the designer and maker. Who maybe caused the upset? To say life’s puzzles are meant to be worked with help? Or. . .let me see that piece in your hand. I thought so! If we keep it up long enough, you’ll see. Be shouting Eureka someday.
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Reviews of "C o ll agE ata T i E m ? {sic}"
Reviewed by Susan Cook-Jahme (Reader)
Reviewed on May 30, 2004
As usual, a well thought out and constructed poem. I understand the jig-saw thing...seem to have lost a few pieces of jig-saw puzzle of my own along the life road! Must be getting senile...better go and write about it before I forget!
Susan :0)
dynamic, thought provoking, excellent write--one of your best--i think you found the final piece of the elusive puzzle--BRAVA! this one is a keeper--thank you
Life itself IS a puzzle; it's up to us to figure out how we go about it and make the pieces fit! Sometimes it's next near impossible to figure out how the pieces lay! Good write, and enjoyed the puzzly picture!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your puzzle-lovin' Texas friend, Karen Lynn. :D (Course, the puzzles have to be EASY for me to enjoy them; some of them are so danged HARD!!!!)
Reviewed by na na (Reader)
Reviewed on May 24, 2004
Phyllis, you may have searched all your live for many pieces to the puzzle. Did you ever think that maybe one one little piece is needed to make your life complete. Out with the old and in the new today.
That will solve it by golly. Hugs x Bill
For the reasons I describe in this book, the world-wide suffering, death and extinction of humanity is very likely to occur, unless nonviolent and democratically determined radical and revolutionary personal and societal actions and changes are taken
Black white (well sort of pinkish) etcetera, Christian Muslim etcetera, Hetero-Homo-Metro Sexual, Physical, Mental, Ow! Includes all human rights violations I could think of.
A detailed study of the origins of the New Alienation. The author labels it normative or postmodern ennui and traces its rise to cultural power over the last two centuries.
Susan :0)
Debashish
dynamic, thought provoking, excellent write--one of your best--i think you found the final piece of the elusive puzzle--BRAVA! this one is a keeper--thank you
(((HUGS))) and love, karla. BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your puzzle-lovin' Texas friend, Karen Lynn. :D (Course, the puzzles have to be EASY for me to enjoy them; some of them are so danged HARD!!!!)
That will solve it by golly. Hugs x Bill
Life is a puzzle Methinks!!
Love Tinka