this is raw woman,
unfiltered like her Pall Malls
and not quite housebroken
sharpening her acrylics
on the good furniture
the kind you don’t
give your address
because you just know
she’d drive across a continent
without restroom breaks
shouting blues off-key
over the speaker noise
and with the reason for permits
filling her pocket with iron and lead
because she thought you’d call
when you said you would
and she’s tired of waiting
for your sorry ass
in another place
she would be the priestess
bleeding out a sacrifice
and her tats would have power
beyond the butterfly
on her shoulder
and the ex’s name
inside her arm
thumbing her nose
at Leviticus
but here, she’s just female
never tamed to lady
though you can comb
out the tangles
and lather away smoke
until you find beautiful
some animals are safer
to keep caged
the problem is
you have to catch her first
which is tricky
when she is the hunter
chasing you
*** for Georgia
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Personally I’d lose the ‘mp3’ line. (Mp3 usually has headphones, so not too loud – and she’s shouting anyway?)
Great ending though. Didn’t know you’d met my mother! 😆
ROFL. Georgia inspired this one by putting skank right next to goddess in her graphic on her latest post. I wrote this with someone in mind–not saying who, but doubt she reads my blog. Here, we hook up our MP3 players to the car stereo systems–crazy yanks that we are 😉
If this was your mom, Bravo–I am all for raw woman power–although I myself tend to tone it down a bit, as I have had most of my wildness socialized out of me 😉
Changed it anyway–awkward line
Ha! Susan you could not have gotten this more right! I’ve known a skank/goddess…I actually might be related to a few 😉
Hee, hee. I had fun with this one! Hope you have a happy new year.
Susan,
Very fun. How can you flitter from tender child to skank goddess in one day? You are an amazing poet.
Alice
Alice–thanks so much. Hmmm. That’s a good question. The skank/goddess is female, while the mother is a woman, with all the differences that entails, and some of the similarities. One is feral, while the other, while not “tame” per se, is mature, but can still laugh at the S/G hiding inside each of us–though thankfully most of us can keep her buried, where she belongs. Uhh ohh–has the poet said too much to the psychiatrist yet? 😉
Susan,
I’m grateful that I was given more than one hat to wear in this world. I seem to have left the psychiatrist hat plugged in the charger back in another state. I hope we don’t bury S/K too deeply. There’s a lot of energy there. Oops. Has the psychiatrist said too much to the poet yet? ;-))
Alice
Oh, I think we have said fascinating things to each other already, and looking forward to more conversation! I think there is an untamed, mostly untapped energy we have as women that can be accessed when we need it. It might just take over and define some more strongly–or at least more strongly than the rest of us want to deal with. I am certain it is not limited to women either (so sorry, gents, if I sounded sexist).
By the way, my daughter saw you wrote werewolf books on your Gravatar, nosy little thing that she is, and she asked me to get the first book of your series for her Kindle–she adores all things werewolf. Will let you know what she thinks.
Gosh. Now I’m the flustered one. What a nice thought. Thanks so much for getting Claire de Lune for your daughter. I wrote Claire on a dare from a girlfriend. Then my 11 year old boy liked Claire and the werewolves so much he insisted I write more. I just finished the fourth a couple of weeks ago.
“Untamed energy”. I was surprised at the protective animal ferocity that arose inside me when my babies were small. I still carry this, just a bit more deeply concealed so as not to embarress them.
I would love to hear what she thinks.
Alice
Awesome, Alice–I will let you know what she (and I) think And, yes, we have to float that energy lower as they get older–but we know it is still there, if needed. Almost done working for the night (yay) so am going to log off the PC and enjoy the rest of 2012. Wishing you a very happy new year.
This is excellent, Susan, and I badly want to meet this person suddenly, or at least write about the fantastic image you just planted in my head.
Oh, gosh, thank you and write away! This woman needs more than a poem. I am meanwhile wrapped up in a Trent-like image of two higher powers who might exist (or not) debating the existence of humanity as they eat dinner together.
Well I would like to see how they resolve that conversation, and the topic itself.
You will, eventually. That’s all I have right now, but the idea itself is luring me away from work…
Meaning you will probably see it sooner than later.
Heck, it’s new year’s eve, stop working already! And Happy New Year by the way, my friend. The best to you and your family in 2013.
Oh, thanks–to you and yours, as well! Unfortunately, I am on the clock until 8, which is a bummer. I would call in sick to work, blaming the weather, but considering (1) it is not snowing, and (2) I work in my living room, I probably won’t get far with that.
Well that sucks. But best to you anyway. I am about to engage in a post-Christmas gift exchange for the kids, and am trying to shake off latest hangover with french beer. Vive la revolution!
Oh, have fun!
Love!!! (this may actually be my theme song)
Oh, I am so glad to hear that!
whoa, Susan… what a woman. I’m fascinatingly terrifed – brilliant poem.
Oh, thank you. I thought I’d try my hand at creating a character.
you did an amazing job
Oh, thank you. I think Trent is borrowing her for something, or expanding her life a little–I hope he does, as she needs more than a poem, I think 😉
hahaha yes she does – she is definitely too interesting for just one 😉 will be looking for trent’s work…
Oh, me too–I would like to see where this wild woman takes him. She’d better be gentle with him.
😀
Oh my. She sounds interesting. I just don’t know whether to embrace her or keep running.
To quote S. Weaver from a movie that should have been better than it was– “Run. Definitely run.”
Fantastic – I like her!
Julie–thank you! I like her too, though she does scare me a little.
Ahh Shades of Fatal Attraction sprung in my head – excellent Sus – amazing.
Jen, thank you. Yes, a little bit of that in here.
I loved this I have a weird image now of Boudica displaced in time driving down a motorway about to kick ass lol 😀
Yes–that’s her, exactly. But give Boudica dark roots and red hair, or blonde. Don’t know why, I see this one as more of a redhead 😉
she stayed with me all day and I had to pay her some attention to finally get her to let me get on lol hope you enjoy http://paulaacton.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/in-response-to-skankgoddess-not-a-nice-girl/
Oh, I SO loved this!
I am just hoping that you have not created a monster who will keep creeping back into my brain when I am not concentrating lol
That is the problem with goddesses, once we wake them.
hopefully the sacrifice will persuade her to resume her slumbers
🙂 yes!
Pingback: skank / goddess – Poem response | Stephen Kellogg's Blog
Wow Susan! Thanks so much for the poem. I’m glad to have been your muse once again.
So happy you were–looks like you were the muse to a few people from this one 😉
Reblogged this on BroadBlogs and commented:
Susan Daniels wrote this poem, inspired by yesterday’s BroadBlogs post. Enjoy!
That first stanza (especially) simply rocks.
I think I have told you before that some of my favorite poems of your are ones that explore defiance and are uncompromising. This is one of those poems. You really do this well and you do it right.
Jeremy, thank you so much. Do you remember the rather off balance astronaut who drove across country in a diaper because she did not want to make bathroom stops (I believe it was because she was after someone’s wife)? This character is rather loosely based on her. So glad you liked it. I feel like this woman represents raw femaleness at its best (and worst) at once.
I don’t know that story, actually. That’s a funny one!
It is–happened a while ago, probably on Google somewhere.
Reblogged this on The Sand County and commented:
Susan at her best (in my humble opinion).
And can I be tongue in cheek about this for a moment. I read this and I read the response piece and I kept thinking of this:
YES!
You were brave to get this close to her! I couldn’t do it: I am too scared of discovering that she is more like me than I’d care to admit…I can see her future, and it’s very Thelma and Louise…wonderful character; beautifully drawn. ::-)
Oh, thanks so much! She just kind of jumped out at/of me, fully formed.
Susan, I love this poem. Can I post it on my facebook page?
Ashley, by all means, and thank you!
Pingback: In Response to Skank/Goddess (not a nice girl) « Paula Acton
Susan,
This poem really grabbed me. Enjoyed the images throughout… especially the tattoo bits.
Great poem!
Stephen
Stephen, thank you. Really liked your response. Did you see Paula did one too? Wow, this character gets around…
This made me do this: http://faceatthewindow.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/lillith/comment-page-1/#comment-288 Thanks for the inspiration 😀
Thank you. Wow, this woman is showing up all over the place. Told you she was a skank 😉
Hee hee…she does get around 😉
🙂 LOVED your version of her.
Sounds like an interesting character. 😉
I cannot believe how much this woman has gotten around in a day 😀
Never underestimate the power of a woman, or should I say the female? This is excellent, full of energy. 🙂
Oh, thank you, C. Yes–not sure if I would call her all the way woman, but definitely pure female energy 😉