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| Denslow's Humpty Dumpty |
When it became inconvenient to develop
symbiotic relationships with non-humans—
and human beings, too—minds in power devised
ways to divide us from the truth of our relations.
Therein lies the tale of our two souls, caged and free:
One we believe is free to love and one that longs
to be so free. One
that forgets relationship
and one that needs above all else memory’s wings.
Do you hear laughter from the stands of trees? They mock
the irony of our dark fate, that we who have
the means to speak don’t know, and those who know can’t
speak.
We are each other’s twin, the only healing salve.
And we create great hymns longing for unity,
and retell memories of our limitation
in pathos-filled plays that can provide catharsis
while half our souls still tries to get our attention.
Is this the old Pied Piper story that I tell?
Is our strength locked inside the mountain while we carve
the top? Or is it
Humpty Dumpty’s story when
he falls and kings must wait for commoners to serve?
Therein lies the tale of our two souls, caged and free,
the irony of our shared fate, that we who need
to be whole can’t unite until we take back our
stories, until we enter them and refuse to bleed.
For Sumana's prompt
Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Two Souls: Caged and Free
"You can cage the singer but not the song"--Harry Belafonte
(I've been trying to write this poem for two weeks! It still is not quite the troubling truth I feel, but it's a beginning.)
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
© 2016 Susan L. Chast
"we who need / to be whole can’t unite..." and so embracing Humpty Dumpty's fate...at least this is true of my own country...the mocking laughter of the trees gave me goosebumps...
ReplyDelete"Therein lies the tale of our two souls, caged and free, the irony of our shared fate, that we who need to be whole can’t unite until we take back our stories, until we enter them and refuse to bleed."
ReplyDeleteOh this is soo powerful! Unforgettable write đź’–
Lots of love,
Sanaa
I LOVE this poem! Especially "One that needs above all else memory's wings" and the laughter of the trees. There is a lot to think about in this poem. Wonderfully done.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we can over think - like an egg boiling in a pan left too long the shell splits.. But then if we let down our shells will the truth come out and rather than mop up maybe we can see what it says..
ReplyDeletethe paradox of our existence is what we face with every choice we make...so the stories tell us...bkm
ReplyDeleteThank you for this chance to see through another''s eyes
ReplyDeletehalf our souls still try to get our attention, is our strength locked inside the mountain while we carve the top...what beautiful lines you have here Susan.
ReplyDeletehalf our souls still try to get our attention...is our strength locked....what beautiful lines you have here Susan.
ReplyDeleteUnlike mankind trees put down roots and let their children do the exploring by themselves whereas we cling to that connection needing contact, giving advice, help and sometimes even getting help in return. We each choose our own path neither is right or wrong but the tree's young should not settle close by for it will be overshadowed and die.
ReplyDeleteThe struggle has been brought about beautifully
ReplyDeleteThe way you put the words together is glorious; I can almost hear this set to orchestral music – as might befit such deep reflections.
ReplyDelete"Therein lies the tale of our two souls, caged and free.." You have woven this theme so well with your words...making us think about the differences & the alternatives.
ReplyDelete"One that forgets relationship
ReplyDeleteand one that needs above all else memory’s wings." - What a wonderful image this is, Susan. A poem filled with richness and truths.
We are creatures of contrasts and wild dichotomies, Susan. Your poem highlights this melding of opposites and the paradox that makes us humans very strange!
ReplyDelete