55s – Female Laocoon; In a Laconic Moment
Below two 55 word poems for Kerry O’Connor’s prompt on Real Toads, to think about the word “lacuna,” meaning gap, cavity.
Please don’t feel obliged to read both! (Or either!) As a process note, Laocoon was a Trojan who warned his fellow Trojans against the Trojan Horse. The Trojans did not believe him, and the gods who favored the Greeks (Athena, Poseidon) struck him and sons down with great snakes rising from the sea.
***************************
Female Laocoon
She warned against the gift horse, but some people like
gift horses, think that they deserve
gift horses–gifts
only what they are owed, and any horse of theirs
a sure winner–so those joined in
with the forked tongues, circling
muscle, as they rolled the enemy right
into their sleep-folded night, walled
darkness.
*************************
In a Laconic Moment
When, in the heat, even the grass lies down
and brain’s buzz stills,
into the wilt creep words
like rape;
though creep is correct enough,
the words come more
in flashes, teeth
in a leer, fear collared
by bone,
and she screws up her eyes
at the flattened lawn, roots showing pale
where mowed.
*********************************************
Both pics mine; all rights reserved.
*******************************************
Explore posts in the same categories: 55, poetry, Uncategorized
Tags: Female Laocoon poem, Flash 55 poems, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com, In Laconic moment poem, manicddaily, Re-membering poem
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
ManicDDaily 
August 7, 2016 at 7:17 pm
Love ’em both very much (in different ways) and also your play with the word … love all your words.
August 8, 2016 at 12:34 am
I loved the Trojan Horse story, k. But I don’t remember many details, including Lacoon. (I just thought of Rocky Racoon). If you buy your horse be sure to look it in the mouth. The teeth have stories to tell. I missed something in the second poem. I’m sorry.
..
August 8, 2016 at 3:47 am
Of course we will read both, dear Karin.
First, I must say how I admire the play on words in your titles.
The first speaks like a latter day myth, and shows how some things never change.
The second is an amazing flow of thought – all in a single sentence – and suggestive of how the mind may wander down strange paths in the most laconic moments.
Thank you.
August 8, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Gift horses..too often hold a curse. Your second one gives me chills. I wish I didn’t know the horror of rape. Powerful poetry!
August 9, 2016 at 12:49 am
A friend launches his first collection of poetry on Sunday. Title? ‘Lacuna’ 😀
August 9, 2016 at 7:54 am
Ah, yes…. to that second one especially. The grass photo to me looks happier than the verse, though… looks like Minecraft grass 🙂
August 9, 2016 at 8:25 am
Not just mood pieces, but wonderful examples of that,k– each with a distinct emotional and imagic structure and tale to tell–I love ‘sleep-folded night,’ and the second conveys for me that daunting stillness in the brain that comes with exhaustion, when one’s defenses must be marshaled, yet the thought of what one faces is paralyzing will.