The poem below was performed live a few months ago when I was going through a particularly ‘experimental’ phase. I decided to give myself the challenge of writing a convincing narrative where I add to use three word phrases in a repeating pattern.
I did not insist on matching syllable counts, thankfully. Let me know what you think, leave a comment!
Just three words
People say they love you, right.
Love you right, they want you
They want you smiling and perfect
Smiling and perfect –hide your imperfections
Hide your imperfections so they cannot
So they cannot be thrown back
Be thrown back to hurt, reduce
To hurt, reduce. Is that love?
Is that love? They cannot understand
They cannot understand who you are
Who you are in the quietness
In the quietness, your inner thoughts
Your inner thoughts, worth much more
Worth much more, I should know
I show know how to escape
How to escape the gilded cage
The gilded cage cannot contain you
Cannot contain you, if you choose
If you choose to walk away
To walk away, come with me
Come with me.
Angele Toomey Poetry 