Pendululm

Pendulum
By Scott Newport
The dress hangs there, tiny,
On a hospital-room wall.

The short sleeves—
Puffy like clouds,
Pleated angel’s wings.

The little patient in her bed.
Nearby, her mom wonders,
Silent rocking, hoping
Her girl’s eyes will brighten
When she wakes.

The drugs, the lines,
The nurses, the doctors
Wonder, too.

The triangular hanger, tilted,
The dress askew.

Today, in my mind
Searching for balance
I straighten the hanger.

Most awesome!!
loved the insight and message!!
loved this unexpected ending...so effectively poignant!
seemed to end abruptly but it was a beginning for the reader to fill in the rest of the story in wonderment and curiosity.
Awesome work!
Great cliff hanger!! (no pun intended)


"Today, in my mind
Searching for balance
I straighten the hanger"


thanks for sharing,
God Bless.

Love the metaphor, it really brings out the innocence and the pain the mother is feeling. Love it. I agree with oneagleswings, love the last stanza:

Today, in my mind
Searching for balance
I straighten the hanger.

It's funny...I was reading your response Lora, when Jody walked in and as she spoke to me I couldn't take my eyes off of a picture hanging on the wall slightly crooked.
Caused me to wonder how many things in my life need straightening.
awesome metaphor...one that lingers and seeps into subliminal sentience!

We often come across small images in our lives we often over look. But this dress was so powerfull when the mother wondered if she would take take her daughter home in this dress or if it would be the one she buired her in.

Wow, heartbreaking. You used the dress well in your work.

"We often come across small images in our lives we often over look. But this dress was so powerfull when the mother wondered if she would take take her daughter home in this dress or if it would be the one she buired her in."

knowing this now makes it that much more powerful.

Ok, you messed me up with this one, dude. Caused the gray matter to go into high gear. The line silent rocking, hoping, I can relate completely with that one. Love the work. I need to learn this style.

One that you remember and take with you. Makes you want to know what happened.

Hey Carl, glad you liked the poem and it twisted your grey matter. I don’t think of myself as a poet more of an essay guy. But some events can only be painted for the reader through verse style stanza with some symbolism. Like the “triangular hanger.” The triangle is also the three views in the poem, the mother, the on looker and the medical staff. The hanger of the question is will the sick child make it.

There is a lot going on in this poem, even just the idea of a dress and beauty of a mother as she thinks about her daughter wearing her first dress if only in her thoughts.

I also like the title, Pendulum.

Thanks again for taking time to read.

Scott

this is a gem!