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The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

The Shelves of Self Deception


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Guest White Rose Oujisama
Posted

Am I told quite often,

How I am to be inferior,

Nothing more, nothing less,

Just the pawn to the life of someone greater.

 

Isn't it a shame how you're always judged by looks?

Everyone else is the reader, and you're just one of their books.

You just lie on their shelf,

Collecting the shameful dust,

Never knowing when they'll come back to you out of lust.

 

But wait, aren't you a reader yourself?

Don't tell me you haven't seen me before...

Oh wait, that's right,

I'm the lonely book that props open your door.

You're careful not step on me,

But of course you do it anyway,

I really can't blame you however,

I'm sure you've been treated the same way.

But isn't it nice to be to step on another just this once?

Knowing that you're innocently causing me pain,

The one who let's you out to your hunts.

 

So let's suppose you pick me up out of guilt.

You dust me off with a rag from your pocket,

Probably used to wipe the blood off of someone else.

And it feels so good to me,

It stings and yet it's cleansing,

It's like pouring alcohol on a wound,

But what you pour on me...

Is a promise of being your stepping stone once more.

 

You open my pages,

So thick and powerful,

It's yet another door you see,

But it's one that you'll never enter.

It's almost a shame too, you've created this door,

This gate that leads to the tales that you have spun,

Unknowingly created and carefully ignored.

 

You laugh at what you see,

Although you're quite afraid.

You feel the guilt you've always had,

But now you know why it's always been there.

The tales of my life are filled with pain,

The pain of your sharp tongue and neglecting mind.

 

You remember how you labeled me as a clown...

Always so happy, always so kind.

But you were confused,

For I'm sure you were thinking of a jester.

One who entertains as a slave to a king,

Who's only state mind is that of a comedy,

A mockery in motion...

I thought of myself as a clown once,

One who entertains for the joy put in his heart by those who admire...

I only wished that were so,

But as it turns out,

I was your jester,

Carefully placed upon your ring finger.

A Symbol of your deceit, a hint towards your lies.

I was your pretty ornament upon your shabby life.

 

Don't you remember how it started out?

Your charming words,

Your brilliant mind,

I was a fool to become a part of you,

Thinking we were both readers,

Exploring the fantasy books of life...

It only turned out that the truth was humiliating,

Because I was just another book,

You only brought me into your web of lies.

 

I regret that now...

But I have to say, so what?

Here is where I lie,

And you're still just as strong...

You drop my book on the floor again,

This time blowing a kiss.

Trying to reassure me that you still care...

You step out your door,

Into the very shelves of life,

and you realize now,

That you were just being yourself...

...Reading your very own book...

 

-Ouji-Sama, the self denied...

Posted

Interesting portraits of self-absorptions and projections...

 

 

 

We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.

W. Somerset Maugham

Posted

Are words truly spoken

if they never reach an ear,

or pages truly written

if they never greet the reader’s eye?

 

Words are spoken not simply for saying

but also for hearing,

and pages are written not simply for writing

but mostly for reading.

 

The risk of reading

and the danger of hearing

is that life be re-written

in words that are spoken

by a tongue not one’s own

or in the scribbled ink

of a stranger’s pen.

 

A strong and visceral piece of writing with a good sustained use of the book metaphor and the theme of reading. Well done!

Posted

Nice Ouji Sama, and I agree with peredhil. I wish that I had the umption to sit down and write a poem that long. I find it interesting the way you utilise rhyming stanzas and non rhyming stanzas, but continuity is interrupted. Perhaps this isn't the right poem to critique in this way. Although I feel that this poem could be more effective if the structure were more carefully assembled. I hear the author's voice, if that saves me.

 

-Icarus

Guest White Rose Oujisama
Posted

I know exactly what you are saying Icarus, I knew that folly whilst I was writing...it was late when I wrote it however, and the idea was in my head and I wanted to get out out so I wouldn't forget it later...if I had more time to actually plan it out and revise it, it's structure would be a lot better ^_^.

 

Thanks to everyone!

 

-Ouji-Sama the thankful.

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