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Let Him Look As Long As He Wants #Day29 #NaPoWriMo

She saw the shadow outside her window
elongate, shorten, and elongate again
wondering, until with arms akimbo
took a dive inside her soul

He kept her home from school that day,
cleaning floors and cupboards-- baffling!
What must the youngster have done
to have earned herself such drubbing?

Then with the precision of the school bell
to the floor, on her knees, he ordered her go
" 'arms outstretched,' " he compelled
as he stacked books-- one on top of the other

The Encyclopedias
she borrowed from the library,
the thick dictionary
she inherited from him.

"Oh, you wicked, son of your mother," she purred
"You knew I wouldn't drop those treasures
they held the knowledge I desired--
that, given time, would become my propellers."

And as if that wasn't enough castigation
for her nine-year-old frame to endure
he swiftly opened the front door-- for observation
ruined her soul, made her heart obscure

What did he think would inform her character?
How were his mundane proclivities supposed to endear him to her?
So now that he stood there looking in-- "Let him look,"
she muttered. The man will forever be an outsider to her soul.

***
© 2021 selmamartin.com

Photo: Mada portrait, www.metmuseum.org

I’m laughing today. If you happen to have visited my website yesterday, you’d know why. Starting with the image of a window through which Lily Briscoe is looking in on the owners of the cottage, and analyzing them so well in her mind– that poem could have worked for the prompt of today.

But that was written for yesterday’s prompt which asked for a poem with a series of questions. Was Lily on to something yesterday, you think? I’d love to know your take on that. 

If you missed it yesterday, please click on the above link. 

Now onwards to how I worked on today’s prompt. This one was inspired by Dawn’s Nights Why Me? poem of yesterday

That poem touched me. Dawn wrote about an eight-year-old little girl. Mine mentions the memories of a nine-year-old. Furthermore, I imitated a friend/poet here by going to The Met and searching for the picture of a self-assured nine-year-old. Hope you enjoyed that as well.

Do click on the link of Dawn’s poem, if you haven’t already. It’s sad but endearing. God bless us, everyone.

https://www.napowrimo.net/
https://poets.org/national-poetry-month

The prompt today on Day 29 of NaPoWriMo is a fun one again. Thank you so much. And to all my readers, thanks for reading, and as always, I wish you miracles. xo, Selma.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. Gloria

    The poem title and stanza five 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      You saw that? You liked? Thanks so much. You rock. Be well, my sweet. I wish you miracles

    1. Selma Martin

      You’re sweet for leaving a comment. Thanks so much. Be well. I wish you miracles.

  2. Dawn D. McKenzie

    I am so touched. Thank you. Now I’ve got to go read yesterday’s poem too! 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      You’re ever so welcome. Your poem was inspiring. Thanks for sharing. Be well.

      1. Dawn D. McKenzie

        I’m trying. And succeeding, not too poorly, with a little help from my friends 🙂

  3. Dawn D. McKenzie

    I love the spirit displayed in the poem, it matches the picture, the fire inside that young girl so well!
    And yes, let them look. They’ll never come near to touching our souls.

    1. Selma Martin

      So glad you saw the picture that way. That’s how i meant it. Thanks so much.
      I’m looking forward to more of your work. So keep going. I wish you miracles

      1. Dawn D. McKenzie

        Yes, that young girl sure reminds me of a younger me, when I used to wear dresses 🙂
        I mean on those days I would. I loved dresses as well.
        I’ll probably be late with my poems, but I’ll write the last two ones!
        Wishing you miracles too. I believe we make them happen as well, when we wish hard enough 🙂

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