Fascinated
by memory,
yet looking
for oblivion,
she gasps for breath,
her head hidden
underwater.
Struggling
- short of oxygen -
fighting
- to end a life too long -
her body is
that of a naked animal
- exposed -
and her skin
all wrinkled
from such a long stay
in ice-cold water.
It's winter
and the beach is deserted,
all is gray, taupe and dead
like the seagull lying there
- lifeless -
its feathers licked
by the pitiless wind.
Why is life
such a strong chain,
one that pulls you up,
out of the darkest thoughts,
the deepest water,
just when you'd given up
the burden of being?
When her head comes out,
pungent air
fills her lungs
and her eyes and mouth
are wide open:
she's the newborn
who emerges
from an ocean of dark fear.
Until the frigid wind
embraces
her bone-weary body
making her shiver
from head to heart.
She reaches
for a dark spot on a rock,
where her crumpled costume lies,
empty and roughened
as her life.
Now is the time to wear it
- again -
bringing new life
into the translucent shell
of existence.
I know of no one who hasn't stood with their toes in the sand and thought about heading into the deepest water; I even personally know of a few that submerged themselves. For the most part, I like to think the majority of us are like your protagonist here; instantly willing to try to make our costumes fit when once the water has risen above our heads. A profound piece that speaks of the human condition, resignation, perserverance...and even hope.
but we all have to do it everytime and new costumes for our fleeting and everchanging existence and we also immerse ourselves in one medium and then another. I like your mind Axilea. nice one, S
Leg by leg,
arm by arm,
she enters her cloth self,
sealing in her secrets
with metalic zips
She sips in air
and fills her lungs out too
- it's hard to breathe without the water -
her feet form tiny dunes in the sand
as she walks,
and craters that fill half-way in
and she keeps on stepping,
one foot, then the other,
and her legs are heavy with land,
and her spirits are trying to fly
but have forgotten how...
and her hair is drying in the wind
and two strands lift and beckon to the others
and eighty paces more,
the others follow,
and her shirt-tales lift up too,
and her pant-legs rustle,
and pretty soon,
she's dancing on the slanting sun...
One of my favorite expressions is: "As long as there is life, there is hope." I believe you've said the same here in a much more eloquent way. And sometimes life becomes so harsh we want to give up, but we keep going "bringing new life into the translucent shell of existence."
Well said. Elizabeth
A very impressive story... "Crumpled Costumes" depicted all physical motions, and made a deep diving through the ocean of the soul. Written to etch on the eyes of the readers all of its images and meaning. "Crumpled Costumes" adds value to Poetry.
what so often the self has to go through to achieve mobility, ironically often having to be frozen in time, literal or figurative, to allow the process to take place. to complete it and survive it is minimum. to go beyond to bring "new life into the translucent shell of existence" is to resurrect triumphant. to the survivors go the spoils . . . .
Crumpled costumes has another message [I think] - one of despair and then hope. Hope is the greatest equalizer when all looks bleak. I've always said, "Look to Him. Seek and ye shall find."
Poignant and profound. There is definitely an inner will to survive when it comes right down to it. Otherwise, we wouldn't have a problem with over population. I cried when I read this. I've been to this shore several times and always walked away. Hugs. Liz
the power of our inner soul is great than our outer shell. time, is always the great equalizer between the dark world and the light. the spirit is the key we have to use when opening the lights door. a great work of life and the trials we all face.
The spirit is more than the physical...more than the mind...even the heart cannot keep it from living...so it is with life, when you feel you have hit the bottom and or the darknest place known....Light shines once again like the crumpled costume, ready to shed a new beginning...
very interesting and quite a captivating piece!
I could feel the distraught emotion, the dankness of dread
...although I feel she just lucked out... and is facing life, again, as just another re-run here...until the next time, kinda feeling...
Sad...many see this, many feel it and therefore you have managed to bring these words to life! Well done!
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
Life does have a way of imposing trials, troubles, and weights upon us from time to time, but as your write suggests we must get up and put one foot in front of the other...we cannot give up, for their are those good days where we can find peace, happiness, and joy! I have found that just when I feel like giving up, something happens to help lighten my load a bit! An inspiring write indeed, glad I stopped by today!
Blessings,
Joyce B.
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arm by arm,
she enters her cloth self,
sealing in her secrets
with metalic zips
She sips in air
and fills her lungs out too
- it's hard to breathe without the water -
her feet form tiny dunes in the sand
as she walks,
and craters that fill half-way in
and she keeps on stepping,
one foot, then the other,
and her legs are heavy with land,
and her spirits are trying to fly
but have forgotten how...
and her hair is drying in the wind
and two strands lift and beckon to the others
and eighty paces more,
the others follow,
and her shirt-tales lift up too,
and her pant-legs rustle,
and pretty soon,
she's dancing on the slanting sun...
While her costume may lie empty, it is no longer empty when she is wearing it...
Cryssa
Well said. Elizabeth
A very impressive story... "Crumpled Costumes" depicted all physical motions, and made a deep diving through the ocean of the soul. Written to etch on the eyes of the readers all of its images and meaning. "Crumpled Costumes" adds value to Poetry.
In admiration,
Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU
peace, jackie
This is a very thought-provoking piece/peace.
Kathy
always,
randy
a very nice work of thought.....
enjoyed...
Art Sun....
I could feel the distraught emotion, the dankness of dread
...although I feel she just lucked out... and is facing life, again, as just another re-run here...until the next time, kinda feeling...
Sad...many see this, many feel it and therefore you have managed to bring these words to life! Well done!
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
Blessings,
Joyce B.