Romanticism

in a time when corsets and hoopskirts

were the norm

giant flouncing dresses meant to prevent the touch

to separate the wearer in a tiny fortress of

invulnerable chastity, inviolable purity

(at least in seeming)

we all of us wandered about,

little closed off rooms stumbling on knockkneed legs..

barely ever opening our locks for anyone

who did not possess the same closed off experience

couching virulent passions and deepest sadnesses

with words that could be held aloft

viewed on a pedestal, under glass

at a distance that was deemed

safe

hiding our true meanings

with gorgeous, yet empty words

forcing those who cared

to know

to read beyond the scratchy letters on the page

to care enough

to see the blood beating fiercely

through bodies only seeking..

yes

Reviews

[R J Askew]

Maybe the pendulum will swing back to those days in some way, though it might be led by some puritanical religious motivation rather than romanticism. I hope not. Apparently they used to put little 'skirts' on piano legs in Victorian times. Sheeesh! Meanwhile, in private clubs and ornate bordellos gentlemen were taking their pleasures in the hypocritical of ages and about half a million common streetwalkers, many children, swarmed over London. And before that there were those very skimpy Regency dresses...and before that those gigantic wide hoops of the18th century. Sheesh! Back and forth. We must be due for BIG clothes again! I think you've put your finger on a trend with this captivating wee poem! Let's face it, the in-ya-face, yeee-ha-sex-n-flesh that's everywhere in our capitalist-materiaiast-consumer-'society' is just soooooooooo unsubtle, unalluring, unimaginative, unintelligent, and unsustainable.

[An owl on the moon]

You create such a depth of meaning, a sort of history of passion and persuasion. What was hidden is now disclosed fully, and yet what lies inside still? "The blood beating fiercely..." Excellent insights into human nature.

[Periac]

in a time when corsets and hoopskirts
were the norm
giant flouncing dresses meant to prevent the touch
to separate the wearer in a tiny fortress of
invulnerable chastity, inviolable purity
(at least in seeming)

you amaze me
you have taken with you in your old time rendition/documentary style here...
great and versatile in imagery

[Arthur Crow]

The title speaks fiercely... so much depth and strength in your lines.
You weave 'real' feeling here, it's seamless and hit all the right spots in
The readers mind and soul. Truly, I love your style and your all your
scribing to date.

[bluessadmood]

Oh how I loved this..I once read one of the best of French literature in the 17th century..Dangerous liasons
It told about some lovely so prodent ladies,one was always followed by a man who just would not leave her alone
they would exchange letters..everyone who would read will find just a relation that hardly told anything
but if you read well,it was really from a lover telling his mistress some of his wild wishes
she just kept on pushing him away for months,but he was so clever that in the end he won over her
and really won everything ,though she was married,she just gave everything ha ha..
this writing reminded me so strongly of that wonderful writing..
a wonderful writing reminded me of another great writing,ha ha
lovely write..