Wood
Wood
I am Not Wood
I Should Have Known…
You Cut Me Deep
First Blood… Then Bone
Your Customs…
So Strange
Alienation…
Insane
I Lied…
I Could Not Stop
Like Wildfire…
Your Burns Were Hot
There was you
Hard Working Soul
My Failings Came…
I Had to go
I Wanted in
Just to Belong…
They Caged Me in…
I am Alone
DarkJade
PICTURE CREDIT – Boy With A Wooden Sword
More Poems/Scribblings by DarkJade
March 6, 2012 at 10:42 pm
This mess of thoughts…captivating.
The title leaves me wondering still of its significance.
March 6, 2012 at 10:48 pm
My Latest Poems are Loosely Based on Fairy Tales… This one is inspired by Pinocchio… Thus, Wood
Reread my last Three Poems, you’ll see what I mean
Thanks for your Comment Blue
DarkJade-
March 7, 2012 at 2:49 pm
I shall do just that then. (:
I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award, I do hope you’ll accept it~!
March 7, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Thank You So Much Blue
I Really Appreciate it
DarkJade-
March 7, 2012 at 1:27 am
This is such a lovely poem, we are flesh and blood and we do feel pain. Am curious apart from Pinocchio what made you take direction you took…customs…alienation,..is there a story behind the poem?
March 7, 2012 at 2:03 am
Well, the Artistry really comes in my making the concepts my own… We are Flesh and Bone was inspired by a line from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice “If You Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed”… I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Story of The Merchant of Venice, but there’s a Famous Character called Shylock… Here’s a Description from Wikipedia “In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who lends money to his Christian rival, Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When a bankrupt Antonio defaults on the loan, Shylock demands the pound of flesh. He loathes Antonio because Antonio used to loan money without charging any interest and thus made Shylock lose business and more importantly Antonio would spit on him, abuse him, insult him and spurn him. Meanwhile, Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, elopes with Antonio’s friend Lorenzo and becomes a Christian, further fuelling Shylock’s rage. She also takes money and jewels from Shylock.”
The deal is, he’s Jewish, so he’s treated badly… So he has all this Rage from being abused all his life for being Jewish, and he attempts to take his Rage out on Antonio… If you haven’t read it, read it, it’s Amazing… I’ve done some Theater, and been in several Shakespeare plays, “The Merchant of Venice” was My First… Shakespeare is my Favorite Writer.
Anyway, answering your question, Pinocchio was Abused by Kids in the story I believe, for being different… Wooden as it were… As Shylock was, which is what made me think of “If you Prick us, do we not bleed” when Shylock says that line, he’s referring to the fact that Jews are Human too…
But on further thought, to delve into my own self in regards to this Poem, My Brother and I were treated very badly in School… And had a difficult time having any Friends… The main reason was we missed a lot of School, and so Kids Envied us and Treated us like Lepers… And so in truth, I relate with Pinocchio… Not that I would have ever realized it, but because I’ve decided to do a bit of a Fairy Tale Theme, as I love Fairy Tales, I must still make these Poems My own…. And Search for Connections
When I say “Your Customs… So Strange
Alienation… Insane”
I’m referring to how Pinocchio is Alienated for being Different… And then I drew upon my own experience when I was young, and in affect, it was “Custom to Alienate” people that were different.
So you see how I blended my own experience with Pinocchio’s in order to make the Poems a Part of me… As I feel Poetry is pretty damn close to the Writer’s Soul.
The Part about “Lying” is in reference to how Pinocchio Lies, and when he does, his Nose Grows… I didn’t mention the Nose part, it’s not relevant, at least not in my telling… What is relevant is that often Children will take to Lying in order to appear to be “More” than what they are, in order to receive “Acceptance” from their Peers.
That wasn’t the case with me, “Truth” is pretty much my Middle name… I have a very difficult time with Liars, but sadly many people Lie as a way to protect their selves from being hurt… Especially when they’re young. But sadly, they sometimes carry that habit with them into Adulthood.
Truth be known, I’ve never really cared for the Pinocchio Story… The Marionette that was often Pinocchio was always very unappealing to me.
“Hard Working Soul” refers to his Creator/Fatherish Character Geppetto…
“I Wanted in
Just to Belong… They Caged Me in… I am Alone” refers to when he goes with the boys, thinking they’re his friends, but in realty they’re tricking him, and he ends up being kept in a cage.
Anyway, I suspect the “Truth” you feel from this story is from how I’ve Connected Feelings from how I relate to the Story to the Writing itself… So I’m not just Writing about Fairy Tales, I’m Finding Ways within myself that I Relate to certain Aspects to them. Or in the case of the “Lying”, I can not relate to Lying, but I do have a pretty good understanding as to why people do it.
Phew, Long response I know, but I wanted to try and Convey The Process as best I can, lol… Poetry comes from such a deep place, I can’t always explain where it comes from, but often upon reflection I can Deduct a bit of it.
Thanks for your Comment and Compliment Vee
DarkJade-
March 7, 2012 at 4:31 am
Wow, thanks for the thoughtful response DJ. I really appreciate.
This is heartbreaking to say but I have never read any Shakespeare story… that old English makes me sleepy for some reason. The poems are easier to follow though. Shakespeare is a great writer, I also love Leo Tolstoy though the old English…don’t let thou get started lol
Anyway I would have read the Merchant of Venice by default if I was born just one year later, because it was used as a set book in literature class back in high school by the class behind me. Seems I missed a good thing there, huh?
It’s not always easy to explain poetry and I do really appreciate the effort you put in. I love the fairy theme you are applying and I can clearly see how you have blended YOU with works done years ago. Thus thee produceth something very authentic and beautiful.(Am still channeling the old English lol)
This poem makes me think, it also makes me see what happens when we decide to conform to society expectations. Why lie when our truth can set us free? I don’t think being alone is such a bad thing, lonely is something else all together…There are many underlying plots going on in this poem.
You really do share a part of yourself when you write,and it shows. Thank you
March 7, 2012 at 8:27 am
I’d have to say actually doing Shakespeare Plays is an Awesome way to get familiar with their stories… And, in my case, learn how to have a basic understanding of Old English… I, like you, probably would have just fallen asleep as well if I had just tried to Read it, as opposed to being around some 15 or so individuals actually bringing the words to Life…
Another Factor is Our Director/Producer and in the case of “The Merchant of Venice” he also Played Shylock, I was I suspect a bit Spoiled by his Portrayal of Shylock… It was something to see.
To get a basic understanding of what we were exposed to by working with this Man, some years after I was doing Plays with him, he went on to Write a One Man Play about Shakespeare, Portraying Shakespeare, Telling His Own Life Story… I went to see it, and it was Amazing. The Dude Learned some 100 or so Pages of Lines, Unbelievable.
Anyway, it’s much Easier to Learn Old English, and then by doing so, Appreciate the words, when you spend say 4 Months of Rehearsals being around it being Learned, and Being Portrayed.
Bottom Line, Theater is one of the Best Experiences I’ve Ever had in My Life… And the only reason I ever got involved with it, was because My Brother wanted to be a Professional Actor, and so Joined This Community Group when he was 16, and talked me into Joining as well, I was 17 at the time.
I was Extremely Shy at the time, and Theater Helped me to Break through that a bit.
Our First Year/Summer we did “Merchant of Venice”
2nd Year – “Merry Wives of Windsor” (Summer) and “Prospero’s Promise” (Spring), which was a Children’s Play, Written by the Director based on Shakespeare’s “Play within a Play” from “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream”.
3rd Year – “Alice in The Wonder Garden” (Spring), which was a Children’s Play that The Director Wrote, and was a Blend of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Through The Looking Glass”. “A Mid Summer’s Night’s Dream” (Summer), and “A Christmas Carol” (Winter), which we actually did like a “Old Radio Show” Telecasting it. We actually took “A Christmas Carol” into a “Children’s Hospital”, which in itself was Amazing.
So you see, I had one hell of a Eye Opening Experience in Theater, and it is probably one of The Main Reasons that Shakespeare is My Favorite Writer… When I Hear Shakespeare, I not only Understand Most of it, but it really comes alive for me.
I then Dropped Theater for 9 or 10 years, and then did a Production of “Measure for Measure”, and one Year Later, My Favorite All Time Shakespeare Play, “Hamlet”. That was My Absolutely Best Experience in Theater… Simply Amazing.
And you’re right, “Lonely”, is something completely different than “Being Alone”… I don’t Mind Being Alone, but on occasion, I definitely get “Lonely”.
And You’re Right, “Telling The Truth” not only Sets you Free, but it makes the whole Human Existence a Pretty Pure, and Earnest Thing. And I suspect, in the Long Run, “Less of a Roller Coaster”.
Thanks Again, and You’re Welcome
DarkJade-
March 7, 2012 at 10:21 am
Wow, your theater experience is impressive. That’s so cool. When we find what we love to do,it’s always such a fulfilling experience. So this does make you a very good actor, huh? It must feel nice to do plays written by Shakespeare.
I have done only one acting thingie in my life and it was a French Play for drama festivals back in high school. There is so sort of great feeling that comes with being on stage I have to say lol
Hope you have all your acting on record. Can be very interesting to watch.
March 7, 2012 at 10:44 am
Ha, nah, I’m not a Great Actor… Most of My Parts were Very Small, but like they say, “There’s No Such Thing as a Small Part… Only Small Actors”, so I made the best of Every Role.
I actually preferred this anyway, that way if I messed up a line, I didn’t sink the Play, ha
Also, often I would play more than role in a single play, which I found both enjoyable, and challenging.
The Most important Role I ever played was in Hamlet… Not My Casted Role, but on the Final Two Performances the guy who Played The Grave Digger got Cast on something Television related, and had to Drop from the Play… The Director than approached me and asked if I would consider Learning the Role in Two Days, and Playing it in the Final Two Shows…
Which I did, and it was Awesome
The Only Evidence of My Acting is a Photo in a Local Newspaper, where they had My Picture, attached to My Brother’s Name, ha, oh well…
Oh and My Short Film, which I Acted in, only because I didn’t know enough People where I Filmed it
DarkJade-
March 7, 2012 at 10:58 am
It’s funny how the newspaper used your brother’s name with your picture. You two are real twins
Learning a role in two days, that’s scary. Hamlet is a pretty famous play, I have never read it but I think it has a lot of betrayal from what I have heard.
Your experiences in the theater translates so well when you write. It’s like it made you find your voice and come out of a shell to some extent I feel… Everything we go through in life does happen for a reason.
March 7, 2012 at 11:11 am
It Definitely Did… And some 6 Years Later I moved into an Inside Sales Position, and it Helped me there…
And Theater and Sales Combined Helped Overall in Everything that I do, My Drive toward Working on and Pursuing Film Making, and Now My Drive in Writing are all Partial Reflections of what I Experienced Doing Theater… So you are Correct.
Truthfully, more than anything, “Hamlet” is a Story of a Son’s Love for His Father… Above and Beyond all else, at least in My Interpretation.
And in Truth, My First and Only Completely Finished Screenplay “White Jade”, is about a Daughter’s Love of Her Father… So Perhaps it Played a Part in Inspiring me…
That and My Wife at the Time that I Wrote it, who I only ended up being Married to for one year, sadly.
Truth be known, I generally lean towards Shakespeare’s Comedies, because his Tragedies are so Treacherous…
But Hamlet is an Exception… Yes, The King was Slayed by his Brother, Hamlet’s Uncle… And yes, His Uncle than quickly after Married Hamlet’s Mother, which further Obliterated Hamlet’s Well Being…
But in My Estimation, Hamlet is Not “Mad” in this Play… He is Merely “Angry”, and “Greatly Dismayed”. In Short, the day his Father Died, was the End of his Spiritual Being, and thus all of his Actions throughout the Play are those of The Shell of a Man, Tormented by The Loss of His Father, The Truth of How his Father was Murdered, and the Sadness he felt about his Mother so quickly after Marrying His Uncle.
For The Simplest to understand “Film Version” of it, Rent Mel Gibson’s Hamlet, it is Truly Marvelous.
There are so many things about Hamlet that I would probably be better off doing a Whole Post about it, lol
Then again, I’m not all that interested in Drawing Forth the “Pseudo Intellectuals” that might Comment on the Post, and having them try to tell me what “Hamlet” is truly about. lol
DarkJade-