The Universe Is Always Listening
'What is it?' she said,
'That invisible thing
marked with patience?
I should have it, not you.
I’m the pretty one.
All the daddies
and uncles and cousins
like me because I smile
and I’m pretty. Pretty
and sweet. You
just stay in the corner.
It’s not fair. It’s all
supposed to come to me.'
I didn’t answer.
How could I?
I didn’t know.
Not for a long time.
And anyway I wanted
the approval bestowed
and the pretty face
that earned it.
(I was very young.
We both were.)
The pretty manners too.
But I didn’t know how
to simper.
‘Patience wouldn’t
please you anyway,’
I didn’t know to say.
Well it was long ago.
She’s dead now.
She did find ways
to get much
that she wanted.
After the face
grew ordinary
she still had
wiles and charm.
And calculation.
My invisible support,
I understand now,
can be discerned
in its effects ...
if you’re looking.
There is nothing
I have to do. That’s
what bugged her,
my jealous cousin.
I do sometimes ask,
but I don’t have to.
(I sometimes
forget that.)
After my last cat died
I knew I must have
no more. It’s not fear
of further heartbreaks,
but my old body
no longer fit to do
the work of taking care.
‘I hope I don’t
get mice now,’ I thought.
In time a python arrived.
I'm remembering a friend
once, who said, 'The Gods
must love you, darling!'
The actual dialogue in the first verse is fictional. That's the only thing that is.
It seems I should explain, for people not familiar with them, that pythons (not unusual in this part of Australia) are good at keeping the mice down; hence, if one doesn't have a cat....
The prompt was about temporary or hidden supports. I went with hidden; definitely not temporary!
Written for Weekly Scribblings #38: A Helping String at Poets and Storytellers United.
Touched to the center of my witchy heart! Interesting how things just work out, eh? LOL, I know it's springtime where you are, but this feels like a good fall read for me.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were young the other always had something good that we did not possess. In the later ages sometimes the held back feeling will come out, sometimes. The last verse, "After my last cat died I knew I must have no more ... " Ford me I've said that about the dog being replaced. Plus we might trip over one and fall. Break something?
ReplyDeletePlain good, all the way through, Rosemary.
..
Reading you own comment at the end I always remind myself when writing that you don't really need to make things up just search back over a few years of memory and there will almost always be something interesting to write about that you have experienced yourself that if necessary you can fictionalize for fun. I really loved your poem.
ReplyDeleteIt gave me heart to think that as much as you would love a cat that you are unselfish enough to realise that you would be unable to give it the special care these lovely creatures deserve. Such altruism is unusual in my experience....good to read it....good to know you !
ReplyDeleteThe mood evokes Halloween feels, almost as if the words are being whispered through the Veil. I really like how much the voice reminded me of conversations in We Have Always Lived in the Castle. And I love the ending--that friend must be very wise.
ReplyDeleteI identified with so much here. The write reminded me of a recent country song by Toby Keith called "How Do You Like Me Now?" (You might enjoy the lyrics!)
ReplyDeleteA python? Really?
They are fairly commonplace hereabouts.
DeleteRosemary simper? Never. Great write, cheers.
ReplyDeleteAdore the second stanza in its honesty and drawing us in. The whole poem is a gift to us readers. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteHave to agree with Helen. No simpering here.
ReplyDeleteI like the line that you didn't have to do anything. Our dog died and now we have had bear and racoons in the garden. A python! Wow. Is it never too late for a python.
ReplyDeleteI don't think pythons are restricted to any one time. The good thing is that they do keep the mice down, so a useful replacement for a cat.
DeleteDon't know how I missed this 1st time around, R. Well done. But, um, Python? No. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThey are not unusual here, and often live in a place a long time without being detected.
DeleteYes, Ron, the coolest thing about house snakes is how seldom you actually see most of them. They're not "pets" and don't want to be. They keep out from under humans' feet.
DeleteCheers for appreciating the python for what it does! Though I must say...big as our Gulegi is, and efficient at keeping the Cat Sanctuary free from any other snake except his occasional dates...he'd have no chance against the rodents if we didn't keep cats. Plural. My mother gave him many years to try it, and we trapped, and we poisoned, and the house always smelled of mouse. With the cats we've made it through years at a time when the only "mice" were the ones on the computers.
ReplyDeleteThere really ought to be an animal that's native to Australia, not dangerous to humans, and able to kill non-native rodents as fast as they breed. I wish I had a clue which animal might someday evolve in that direction. Hope it'll be your python!
Yes, there really ought to be, indeed! I had cats for most of the last 10 years (and before that, but 10 years = my time at this address) and they eradicated the mice fairly early on, so I think The Pythoness will be able to handle any new ones.
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