Deceived herself and her audience is (probably paying even to be) deceived.
As the Bard says, “To thine own self be true.” And
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”
Fully understand J., but thanks for sharing this. I have to sit with the rest of it a little longer, but I did want to call this out:
"and break the spell. Swells then the heart"
I hear that as a caesura, followed by a trochaic inversion—breaking the spell indeed! Excellent use of breaking up the meter. It reminds me a lot of Robert Leckie's line of "Hear!" in A Helmet for my Pillow: http://www.poetryatlas.com/poetry/poem/5442/a-helmet-for-my-pillow.html.
I'm glad you caught that. It was too opportune a moment to pass up. Thank you, James!
"Alone she lights a cigarette
and contemplates the day’s regret—
the year’s, the life’s. She drags too deep:
to die; to dream, perchance to sleep,
perchance, perchance—the exit signs
glow red."
I love how you've used this phrase to link Shakespeare's classic lines with smoke and regret ... and the desire for it all to stop. It's a deft image.
Thank you Mark!
That was one of my favorite lines!
“love only what she’s not” ….ooof.
Deceived herself and her audience is (probably paying even to be) deceived.
As the Bard says, “To thine own self be true.” And
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”
Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
If all you do is one poem like this a year it will be enough. This is exceptional.
High praise! I am rather pleased with this, esp. as a tribute to my friend.
Reminds me of the best of Hardy. Melancholy, but masked in eloquence and erudition. Love it.
Hardy with a little more hope, perhaps, if only just a little.
This reminds me of W.H. Auden’s brilliantly precise observations on society and its characters. Loved it.
Thank you!
So good, Jey. One of my favorites of yours.