“Girl’s Beast Heart” (“Ophelia, Ophelia Syndrome”)
I am diabolically busy this week, so am combining my response to two wonderful online prompts: Magpie Tales, hosted by Tess Kincaid, and dVerse Poets Pub open link night. (The above is my rendering of Tess’s photographic prompt, its mood slightly offered and the “rice” more or less gone) I urge you to check out both sites.
And here’s the poem, with a cautionary note that the language is more “adult” than typically posted here, i.e. stop right now if you don’t like that sort of thing.
Ophelia, Ophelia Syndrome
Girl’s beast heart, age ten, swims sky,
arms swinging wings, she springs
till body turns spy—
Where does complete go?
Drips from woman’s breast, ass, thigh.
She loves pining, the yearn,
craves the kiss, lick, fuck,
finds contempt, klutz lust, mucks
about in briny shyness.
Making boy-man God-king
slits wings. Rubs a zipper
into her skin to mend it,
hoards opalescence.
Further notes–the poem was inspired from a discussion, popular a few years back, about many girls’ loss of confidence at a certain age. It was actually written as part of a “magnetic poetry” exercise (for a party), in which only words on a specific list could be used. For those interested in the mechanics of prompts and the wayward mind, the other poem I wrote from that same list deals with peeing in the ocean. (Both poems are in Going on Somewhere, available on Amazon.)
(I am also postinf this for Jingle poetry picnic on http://gooseberrygoespoetic.blogspot.com.)
Explore posts in the same categories: iPad art, poetry, UncategorizedTags: "Ophelia, Going On Somewhere, Karin Gustafson poetry, magnetic poetry, manicddaily, Ophelia Syndrome", poem about girls' losses growing up
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ManicDDaily 
January 24, 2012 at 9:39 am
Don’t like what sort of thing? Doesn’t everbody?
January 24, 2012 at 10:08 am
Loving the pining–and some of us never grow out of it. A very interesting and well put together look at the psyche of that age–and neat that it originally came form a word list prompt(especially if the words are the ones that might cause some difficulties–those are very hard to work with) I love the ‘body turns spy’ and ‘making boy-man God-king’–reminds me of beatlemania, which I was old enough to watch with amazement though not participate in.
January 24, 2012 at 11:46 am
Where does complete go?
nice question embedded in there…and pasting the zipper on at the end…very nice…nice rip in this…really like the progression in this…very well done…
January 24, 2012 at 1:27 pm
two lines stand out for me here…the zipper line and ..where does complete go… great take on the prompt k.
January 24, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I have to admit I read the piece prior to the “liner notes.” I enjoyed it without the additional information, but really appreciated it more after reading the notes and rereading. Great job, and I don’t know why, but I just love that you put a disclaimer in their, I just think that’s awesome. Anyhow, thanks.
January 24, 2012 at 5:45 pm
You’ve captured the age and the struggle well, as girl slowly fades to reveal woman and all the complexities of what is to “be expected”. Ponderous write that has inspired my pen…thank you
January 24, 2012 at 10:33 pm
Rubs a zipper
into her skin to mend it, -> OUCH!!!!
January 25, 2012 at 5:59 am
Superb sound play all through this. Tasty!
January 25, 2012 at 9:26 am
I’m speechless, will echo what Dave has said … and a huge WOW.
January 25, 2012 at 11:51 am
This is terrific, karin– cuts close to the bone in all of the right ways. I loved:
Where does complete go?
Drips from woman’s breast, ass, thigh.
She loves pining, the yearn,
craves the kiss, lick, fuck,
finds contempt, klutz lust, mucks
about in briny shyness.
I was one who loved “pining, the yearn,”– oh that craving. This reminds me of Cary Waterman’s work; I’m reading/reviewing her new Book of Fire, Nodin Press and she talks about how girls are drawn to the forbidden– you might like her work! Thanks once more for your helpful and cogent remarks on my stuff. xxxj
January 25, 2012 at 3:04 pm
, mucks
about in briny shyness.
Making boy-man God-king
liked that a lot. …and don’t disclaimers of “adult” content encourage instead of dissuade? 🙂
January 25, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Ha! (Maybe.)
January 25, 2012 at 8:34 pm
“Rubs a zipper into her skin to mend it” an ‘ouch’ from me too. An excellent write of the trauma of puberty when we morph into somebody else.
Anna :o]
January 25, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Intelligent, raw, evocative…love this…
January 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I shivered at the thought of that zip!! So many aspects that sits really well in these verses. Enjoyed.
January 27, 2012 at 10:13 pm
Cool how the opening line sounds like a want ad, and indeed it is a poem all about wanting.
January 28, 2012 at 1:58 pm
powerful expression laced in this, well penned! ~ Rose
January 31, 2012 at 1:09 pm
clever expression,
thanks for supporting despite the fact that you are busy.