Who do you think you are?
Sneaking in here in the brightness of a beautiful day. The breeze blows so gently that the leaves dangling from their perch in the trees look like they are waving at me in slow motion. The birds are so content singing from the hidden recesses of the branches, the remaining butterflies of summer are flitting around, just above the grass, the smell in the air is a mixture of pumpkin pie, candy corn, and over-chlorinated pool — it’s perfect. I stand in the open window looking at the kids in the street playing catch and drawing with chalk in their shorts and t-shirts… squeezing out the last bit of wear from their summer attire before they are forced to put them away for the next several months — and you decide to show up now?
Who do you think you are?
Where were you when I needed you? When all I wanted was to hide in a cave of lonely despair. I begged you to come for me then but you stayed away, you never showed up, you kept your distance — waiting for the right time. You think you’re so clever. Showing up now when I wasn’t prepared. I see you trying to slip in under the door. I see you whispering my name from that lumpy old chair. I hear you whistling your song from the train tracks.
I see everything.
I hear everything.
I feel everything.
Who do you think you are?
Come and get me. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t fight you anymore. I don’t need to. You are so small and so weak, even the rabbits in the back yard hop around you without flinching.
I know who you are.
You are loneliness and despair and darkness and silence. You are fear and you are flight. You are wrong.
Who do you think you are?
I’m staying here, this time. I’m not following you onto the tracks. I’m not driving around in the dark. I’m staying here and breathing in the last bit of summer, I’m staying here and preparing for the changing colors of the leaves outside my window, I’m staying here… just long enough to watch you thud away — fuck off melancholia.
Kick to the curb.
Ha! Word.
powerful pondering.
wow.
it makes the other party think.
Thank you —
best not to have dysfunctional relationships.
mine…
http://zongrik.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/ms-ellie-shrillcock/
Yes — I agree. I think I was aiming more towards that little conversation we sometimes have with ourselves. Thank you for stopping by!
Very good. Enjoyed reading.
Check out my entry: http://wp.me/p1LMFk-ck
Thank you, just sayin’!
Well! I’m glad to hear you got that all worked out!
Nice writing, Becky!
http://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/three-in-dreams/
Thank you Charles! Feels good to purge once in a while. π
You tell it! Love this, so often it is the choice, to follow the tease of melancholy or to kick it aside and breathe in the life that is all around us.
Some days it’s harder than others, but when we are able to pull it off, that’s when we know that progress has been made.
Ha! Thank you Kelly. This totally started out as something different… maybe the something different will take form tonight. π
You go girl, fuck off melancholia indeed! π
As a side note –> in lieu of a love letter, today I’m sending on some bloggy awards, and one of them for You my dear friend http://j.mp/nX3jTH
Thank you! I’m honored… for your friendship and the bloggy love.
this is inspiring, well stated message.
we need it at times.
π
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Beautiful. Moving. Your writing is so visual.
When is the book?
xo
Thank you superstar! Means a lot coming from you.
Book? Hmmm… dare to dream.
Good for you standing your ground and not following him this time. Glad that you were able to be strong and watch him drive off and in the end you could see the change of colors
http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/10/the-bird-of-love/
I love your description of this piece!!
Thank you.
positive results, Glad that you care.
π
Thanks for coming by. I always love seeing you here.
Well, what can I say? I cringed when the melancholy showed up – it is very difficult to let go and yes, Darling I will support your feelings, rather I support you~ one and the same…I read a bit furthur — Hey, you, can you feel my sh-t eating grin? You and I have never officially met, but I just want to Hug you- kiss your forehead that sees all- whirl you away in a kick ass dance of celebration!
xo
Can I just say… I totally love you.
We WILL share a hug one day — this I know.
Thank you!!!
Wow, as one who has suffer through depression, this poem has such familiar ring to it. Great job! Blessings, Terri
Thank you! I appreciate this comment more than you know.
You are most welcome! Are we not here to care for and uplift each other? It is my pleasure to do so and offer support and compassion. The peace of God be with you always, Terri
Yes — we are all connected aren’t we.
So many things that seem external and detached–and adversarial, as in your personification here–are actually products of our own choices and decisions. A wise bit of writing.
Thank you for visiting. Yes, I agree, many things we have control over — our conscious choices.
very strong voice in this…cling tight to those bits of summer and continue to stand your ground…
Thanks so much — summer is definitely slipping away. π
loneliness and despair….hard opponents . Nice write.
Thank you — I think, for me, I wanted to show that some things we face aren’t nearly as powerful.
Ground won. A good conversation in your mind powers the will.
Thank you!!!
The personification of melancholia is great–the whistling from the train tracks…, and then the thudding off when you banish him. Love, love the ending– makes me want to give you a high-five or fist bump or something: you go girl– kick him to the curb! π
Wow wow wow! You just pushed me towards the kick-ass attitude I needed this morning!
Can’t wait to visit your blog later!
Powerful. Deep thoughts..
stolen moments
I so very much appreciate your comment. Thank you.
Love the last line.
I’ve often said, if I ever wrote an autobiography.memoir, I’d title it “Why I’m Right And Everyone Else is Wrong” or “Who Do You Think You Are?”
You really hit me with this piece. The emotions are so provocative.
Thanks Lance. This one came at me strong — thank you for this comment.
Yeah! Kick its butt out! Bad Ass Babes Unite against melancholia! #BABs
Haha! #BABS #besthashtagever