Monday, July 16, 2012

Fade to Gray

artwork by Jack Vettriano



Fade to Gray
©2012 Susan Noyes Anderson

Veiled in dreams that once came true,
the memories steal over you.
They cross your face, invade your space,
leave little sense of time or place.

You gaze upon a graying sky,
see darkly through a curtained glass
and ask yourself each question why,
while letting every answer pass.

You're all dressed up, nowhere to go.
A world is aching for your touch.
You're Jane Doe waiting for Godot,
as empty as the purse you clutch.



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41 comments:

Grandma Honey said...

Sounds a little like a life mis-spent. Sue, you must have such vivid interesting dreams. The drama you know how to bring to life is incredible.

Brian Miller said...

empty as the purse you clutch...great closure on this sue...you def give this emotion and play well off the pic...

Mary said...

Strong write! Love "Jane Doe waiting for Godot." The sadness in your poem is palpable.

Karen Mortensen said...

Ditto. You really know how to express feelings very well.

Laurie Kolp said...

So sad... love the rhythm and rhyme... well done, Sue! The empty purse says so much.

Trellissimo said...

Love the last verse, but the 'musak' is a real turn off!

larainydays said...

Moody and dark. Well done.

Amy said...

You have done it. Created such feeling with words that you are now up on the Bradbury, Eliot pedestal. Wow. The imagery, the opposites! I just want to read this over and over letting the words wash over me with the rhythm and imagery. Sigh.

Daydreamer said...

Awww... I think most of us saw the sadness in this painting. I know its what I got from it anyway. Powerful imagery, sad though.

Leovi said...

Fascinating poem! Yes, waiting for Godot. The inner emptiness ... a subject that interests me a lot.

anitamombanita said...

moody Monday. I like it...there's some pretty intricate juxtaposing of words here...

yaya said...

Funny..this sort of fits my mood today..unfortunately...I need a happy place to go to I think! But your poem is really good..I know that because I can feel it.

Wayne Pitchko said...

nicely done Sue....thanks for sharing this

Helen said...

I love this! Waiting for Godot is perfect, just perfect.

karen said...

So melancholy and empty. You are so good at conveying whatever emotion you're writing about! The place she is in is not a good place to be. Action! Take action.

Unknown said...

I don't want to be her.
Love ya!

Anonymous said...

Jane Doe waiting for Godot..a mesmerising piece.

Anonymous said...

Agree with the above - so many great lines here, one of my faves of yours. Well done. k.

Sistas in Zion said...

We love poetry with a some moodiness to it. As always Sue your words make an impact. You're a great poet, hope you know it!

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

Very strong write Sue. I felt like it might be me there looking out the window.
Love ya
Maggie

Maude Lynn said...

Killer closing lines!

Little Nell said...

Oh that poor nonentity. Some nice wordplay too.

21 Wits said...

Seriously her purse is empty?! No gun not anything?! Ha! Ha! I saw your post for this up yesterday, but I don't like reading any until I've written my own. So guess what, I'm #75 on her list! I've got lots to read.... oops!

Unknown said...

great closure.

gorgeous artwork.

you inspire me

Lyn said...

How gripping! Waiting..you made that so sad! And for Godot, no less...very good...

kaykuala said...

A very powerful verse, Sue! It's Waiting for Godot that presents the challenge!

Hsnk

momto8 said...

oh man, I hope I always have somewhere to go when I am dressed up.
I can sense the despair in this poem.

Kathe W. said...

such a lonely place to be- well done

Tess Kincaid said...

Nice rhyme pattern here...love the purse thing at the end...

LeAnn said...

Lovely as usual! You can feel the sense of emptiness in this one.
Blessings!

Unknown said...

I love that you grabbed that 'empty' feeling of the art and were able to express so brilliantly, the sad accompanying reflections, Sue. Bravo!! The rhymes are icing.

Stef said...

Great, as usual!

Darlene said...

Another really good one, Sue. I love your interpretation of these pictures. I felt the sadness......oh so much.

Lydia said...

Beautiful. You sure have the gift of rhyming and not making it seem forced.

Caroline said...

Sue, you just keep getting better and BETTER.

I loved, " You're all dressed up, nowhere to go. A world is aching for your touch. You're Jane Doe waiting for Godot, as empty as the purse you clutch."

Have I mentioned this to you before? I think your poetry would make awesome lyrics for music. Have you ever written lyrics? I would NOT at all be surprised.

Susan Anderson said...

Thanks, Caroline. I've written lyrics for several composers, and I really enjoy doing that.

I've also had composers approach me to write music for poetry of mine that they read in a magazine. Twice, I did agree to collaborate with them and was happy with the result.

The most interesting thing that happened was when a Russian composer, who was here performing a cantata he had written, asked me if he could use a poem from my book (the one I did with Anita Schiller) to include in a really modern piece that he later performed in concert. That was really a departure from anything I might have expected, especially considering the poem he chose!

=)

Anonymous said...

A flowing poem! Veiled in dreams that came true... I love it!

Silent Otto said...

Very beautiful Sue, she has the bloodless porcelain skin of the living dead, though as man has begun to find out, she bites ! .

Sreeja said...

You gave the picture words....Nice!

Helena said...

Hey! Hey! Loved the flow. Neatly said. I've had a few empty purses in my closet / time!

JJ Roa Rodriguez said...

I am one of those admiring hiw this was written... Awesome!?.

JJRod'z