Magpie Tales has provided us with a visual prompt by R.A.D. Stainforth, the first of this year, that seems to be tied to New Year resolutions… My take is rather more romantically inclined than the “quit smoking” message that this image seems to advise.
Smoke and Mirrors
I drink, alone
And smoke endless cigarettes;
A chain of smoke binding me
To your image,
On the mirror of my memory.
I smoke, solitary
And drink hard liquor,
Swimming to you
As you recede, fast sinking
To the bottom of my glass.
And as the butts accumulate,
In the ashtray of your remembrance,
I resolve to leave you be;
Forget your face,
Burn your impression…
And the bottle empties,
As I try to drown your recollection
In my glass, but as quickly as I fill it
I empty it, encountering you
Ever present, at its bottom.
I formed you out of smoke,
A virtual image of perfection
In the depths of some mirror,
Manufactured by my need to love,
And all I’ve ever had was an illusion
Made of smoke and tricks of light.
This is great. I love the recurring images. I have to say though, I think this poem is much more powerful without the last stanza. The first 4 stanzas are like punches to the gut, but the last stanza helps us down to the canvas to rest. But before that, the whole thing is a knockout. Superb work.
ReplyDeleteI love 'your take' ... having drowned sorrows of my own in a glass or two. No smoking ... it wouldn't have helped me anyway.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!!
nicely done and thanks for sharing your words
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. Works so well with the Shakespeare quote. Nice touch!
ReplyDeleteI drink, I smoke, butts accumulate, the bottle empties - great sequence - thanks for sharing this
ReplyDeleteExcellent take on the Mag. :)
ReplyDelete