Hellenium, Joan Z. Rough, Copyright 2006The prompt for this week's Poetry Thursday was to find or express humor in poetry. A while back, a character found her way to me through my muse, parked herself on my keyboard and wouldn't budge until I wrote about her. Her name is "mrs heartwell" and I can honestly say I don't know where she came from ... I suppose she might be me ... or a conglomeration of women I know. Whoever she is, I find her funny and vulnerable as she maneuvers her way through life. This is my favorite of the Mrs. Heartwell poems.
a few close friends
under a canopy of stars
mrs heartwell celebrates
her birthday with family
and a few close friends
old daddy pimpkin
brings champagne
shoots off fireworks
while his pitbull butch
cowers under a shrub
widow greeves brushing tears
from her eyes
brings the cake
crowned with fifty candles
candy roses
she's been using for years
she winks at mrs heartwell's son
twenty-two and shirtless
tight shorts exaggerating
every move
as he pumps up the keg
behind the hedge tiny tina
the sword swallower
exhibits tattoos for mr heartwell
who's anxious for a closer look
since he caught her stealing knives
iris who's away at school
sends an impersonator
knowing her mother would faint
if she opened her eyes
jzr
a few close friends
under a canopy of stars
mrs heartwell celebrates
her birthday with family
and a few close friends
old daddy pimpkin
brings champagne
shoots off fireworks
while his pitbull butch
cowers under a shrub
widow greeves brushing tears
from her eyes
brings the cake
crowned with fifty candles
candy roses
she's been using for years
she winks at mrs heartwell's son
twenty-two and shirtless
tight shorts exaggerating
every move
as he pumps up the keg
behind the hedge tiny tina
the sword swallower
exhibits tattoos for mr heartwell
who's anxious for a closer look
since he caught her stealing knives
iris who's away at school
sends an impersonator
knowing her mother would faint
if she opened her eyes
jzr
7 comments:
Absolutely gorgeous, and I could see it all, Mrs. Heartwell, her tribe and her friends celebrating her birthday out under the stars - this is wonderful magical writing and every word sings. I would love to read more of the Heartwell tribe - there are echoes here of the Drinkwater clan in John Crowley's amazing book, "Little, Big" (one of my favourites ever).
The photo really helped me imagine this birthday taking place. Lovely!
Beautiful, discordant, and quirky.
This is wonderful. I want to know ... so much more. Have they met Tiny Tina before? Has the son got a close friend? And widow Greeves? A marvellous glimpse into an entire world. Thank you.
This put a big grin on my face! Thanks@
Ah! I really love this one. You've made the characters feel familiar to me.
What a cast of characters! In some ways this reminds me of Mrs Dalloway... How lucky to be struck by a lasting inspiration such as this character!
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