when life sounds like a country western song
wear sequins and sing it
stained with transmission fluid
sing Patsystyle crazy
remember angioplasties while you snake
that sink drain one more time, restoring flatlined flow
and roll with the dice that never come even,
breathe a blues less blue and more bruise,
cyanotic lips and fingertips after strangling
can still shape a whine without heat
but with all the scars
dig a hole to put bones in,
rattling seeds for skeleton trees
dropping teeth instead of leaves
because nothing grows here
but what’s already broken
Susan Daniels Poetry 
I Love It! I Love It! And I miss my friend. Hope all is well.>KB
hi KB! Miss you too. This has been my last 2-3 weeks, in a nutshell. How does one write poetry about snaking drains? Heh. When I heard the prompt over at dVerse was flarf today, I said, what the hell. Perfect time to write about snaking drains and burying bones.
oh how I love Patsy – but not a sequin to be found among my flannel and denim
you just gave me yet another enchanting image. Why don’t we have sequined flannel/lumberjack chic?
dang…that last bit on nothing growing unless broken so you drop teeth in…gritty…this was fun and very unexpected turns in wording as well…i need to get me some sequins….smiles….
Yes to the sequins. So glad you liked this, Brian!
roll with the dice that never come even… so true.. so life… loving it… the title is fabulous and the emotions palpable..
Thanks, Claudia! For the first time, ever, I came up with the title first and went from there 😉
Love this Susan!!
Thank you, Audrey!
That last bit spoke a lot to me. Beautifully crafted… and the shift in the imagery is well done. 🙂
-HA
Thank you. Was definitely a week from hell…
I am sorry. Hope things get better for you.
Already looking up.
“breathe a blues less blue and more bruise,
cyanotic lips and fingertips after strangling
can still shape a whine without heat
but with all the scars”
A story within a story in these few lines–powerful piece in all.
Thank you, VB. A twist on the “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” What happens if it does kill you 😉
because nothing grows here
but what’s already broken
There is so much sense and no-sense in these lines… they’re hypnotic. Well done.
Thank you, Freya.
Ahhhhhhhhh, all of that gorgeous! Glad the sink made it in.:)
Love,
Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer! I was wondering how to include a burial and a drain snaking, and a transmission line problem into one poem 😉
Specially like that last stanza ~ How good to see you Susan ~
This is much like a country song! Hopefully those bones will resurrect into something like a normal day for you. Great writing, especially that last stanza. Excellent!
Beguiling. I like.
Thank you – best thing I’ve read lately… 🙂
angioplasty and snaking drains in juxtaposition — epic!!!!
Well…glad THAT week is over! And if only the rest of us schlubs could put our drain bamage and tranny issues into poetry. Have missed you SFAM. I say we send a letter to Dolly Parton and have her design a lumberjack chic line…very clever. Here’s to a better week. xo
Had a quick nose here last night Susan – and had to come back!
Excellent write and :
because nothing grows here
but what’s already broken
is the most perfect close!
Anna :o]
Thank you, Anna!
love the flow from Patsy to angioplasty to flatline, and the phrasing of “shape a whine”…so many precise choices in a poem that sounds so effortless off the tongue
Thank you, Kathy!
I love this. So clever, and well crafted. I think I like this avant garde styling – it appeals to my mind in a very curious but good way. Well done! (Nice blog restyling!)
Thank you, Shanyn!
Powerful ending, wonderful title and great imagery throughout… wishing you better weeks ahead!
Aw, thank you, Di!
I love the last stanza 🙂 Have you ever read Life of Pi by Yann Martel? There’s a theme in that book that I hear resonating here.
Hmmm….I have not read the book, but I love the movie!
What a wonderful sequined moment it was to read this!
Thank you, Rowan!
I loved loved loved your last stanza (as did the rest of the readers)!!!
Thank you!
Oh my… here’s to a round of ‘gonna hire a wino to decorate our home…’
Well done.
LOL! Thank you, Nelle.
Excellent, brings to mind the mad cornucopia that is life at times. The metaphors snaked their way into my consciousness and bit. Thanks so much for taking time out to join us!
My pleasure–thanks for the prompt. Nothing but flarf worked for my week that week 😉
“When life sounds like a country western song, wear sequins”
This is a complete poem in itself. Right!
Think you’re right, Alice!
Love it!