The Wax Paper was awesome! This was my 2nd time reading one of their issues and I feel like this one is even better than the first.
The piece that I'm most drawn to is "Because I'm Being Honest"-
Moon-deprived, I stumble full-bodied into the yard,
fallen from winter’s black clouds, humiliating myself
because it’s what you love most in me. This is what
I have to give.
At the small gathering, you yell at me but tell me
it’s for an entirely different reason— but it’s really
because I crave the body of a liar and fool more than
anything that might be right.
You won’t laugh at my humor because it’s really no
substitute for intimacy. The photo on the wall gives
us both pain for what we used to be. And now: our
post script has become greater than the body it was.
I'm very drawn to this piece because I feel like I've been in the speakers shoes before in a past relationship. We really liked each other at first but then our feelings gradually started to fade out. We already gave each other everything we could but it still just wouldn't work and even thought we both knew this we still kinda awkwardly pretended it would end up working out. This is a bad place to be and I felt really connected to this piece in that way.
I liked the descriptions in the piece. For example, "Moon-deprived", I've never heard that phrase before but I really enjoy how it sounds and works in this piece. It sets the tone of the poem as dark and kind of cold right away.
I also enjoyed the personal touches that the author added-"I crave the body of a liar and fool more than anything that might be right". I liked this because it was hard, cold, and honest (as the title lays out for us). It was very daring and risk taking.
The last line left me wondering about the piece, "And now: our
post script has become greater than the body it was." I'm wondering what the author means by this. Is he saying they've made such a mess that there's no way they could fix anything? Or is he saying they've changed so much as people they couldn't return to who they use to be? I would love to hear what others think about this line! Part Two:
I've really learned a lot about my writing in the workshops during this class. For example, a lot of times I'm not very confident in what I write and I won't think very highly of a poem. After hearing what people say during the workshop and hearing that they like a certain poem I've written, I become more confident in my ability to write when I sit down and edit the poem. Workshops have also helped me develop an eye for where my poems need editing. For example, for a stanza in my poem "The Yellow Paintbrush":
After dawn,
when the ripples just look like ripples
and the Steamboat natchez leaves the bay.
I walk to the corner store to
buy another bottle of bourbon.
I thought the dropped line worked here at first but then after hearing everyone's thoughts in workshop, I realize the poem is better without the drop line.
I really want to thank all of you for being awesome workshoppers. You've really helped me with my poems a lot and I've felt honored to be able to read everyone's work. You are all very talented and I hope you keep writing after this class! :)
After reading your response to the poem I can relate completely with you. I've been in a relationship like that as well where it's exciting at first but then you just drift apart and it becomes forced. I see how you took that from the poem entirely and it opened my eyes to see that as well! When it comes to your writing I think you have complete reason to be more confident! You are a very talented writer and I always look forward to reading your pieces because they are usually so unique. When thinking back to the start of the semester you definitely have improved in showing that confidence. Or maybe not even confidence but carefree-ness, that you aren't worried people will judge you for your work. Which is exactly how it should be because your work is your work and there isn't another you. Keep on growing. Great job Morgan.
ReplyDelete"And now: our post script has become greater than the body it was." This probably isn't it, but it makes me think of all of the unsaid things. When you are drifting apart people don't usually point that out. So, for me the "post script" is all of the meaning behind all of the looks and actions that aren't explicitly said, but are understood by the them. A language only they know about. Oh... and that was a good pick, I forgot I didn't mention that.
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