The Best Of Fetishes

Another sonnet I wrote about subject matter not usually used in a sonnet.

I never liked for things to go to waste

so, as a young boy I began saving

little bits and pieces. I hid with haste

in their own boxes and baggies: shavings,

left hair, picked scabs that bled, boogers across

white paper were spread, skin from burns peeled,

my favorite, tattoo ink that I lost.

Each separately and carefully sealed

to prevent them from rotting or turning

to dust. One day I brought a woman

home and through my stuff she went churning,

she found them, called me the most mad man

she had ever met, ran through the front door,

but later she called me begging for more.

Author's Note

I was asked to write a sonnet that had to do with fingernails in one of my classes. This is what I got from that.

Reviews

[just rose.]

This is really really well done. Not an easy form and you subvert it by choosing subject matter that is a tad distasteful. But also this great sense of humor comes into it because the reaction of the woman is precisely the reaction of the reader to the poem - wait, ew! But more, more! Excellent work.

[mcg03002]

This is an interesting sonnet! I think there's acutally a mental disorder that causes people to save things like nail clippings, hair, scabs, and other bodily cast-offs. I googled it...but didn't find anything, lol. Anyway, this made me chuckle. True to form for you, it's kinda dark, kinda funny, and full of fantastic imagery! I love your stuff!

[Devons]

I like this, it's really interesting because, although it describes something relatively idiosyncratic and odd, it is mostly human and bears a relation to the obsessive attitude that some people have of not being able to let go. In this case, it goes even deeper than that and has something to do with self-preservation; most probably a fetish for one's own mortality. In this sense the poem has a lot say without really needing to delve any further than the surface. It makes the reader think 'why is this significant?'
Funny ending, though, to bring it into perspective.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

That was quite funny and so true, women complain bout us but yet still stay around wanting us... very humorous write.

[Annette Jay Sweeney]

lol I know, right? Yuck! It was odd to even try to look at these things with such a loving eye... I had trouble getting into character :P.

[Dutch Jr.]

This one had a good laugh on the end of it, I liked that. Your detail was a little over the edge--in a good way, though--when you started talking about savoring boogers...lol. That's a first.