Drop dead gorgeous
with or without make-up,
dressed to the nines or
in raggedy sweats
Brilliant, curious, well-spoken,
creative, initiative-guru
Writer, poet, boo-boo patcher
home maker through impeccable
hand-made taste.
A human being in every sense
in touch with her higher power.
By any eye and ear.
“You’re the sexiest thing alive!”
“Have you put on a few pounds?”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“That music is for angst-filled teens – like shooting fish in a barrel.”
“You’ve got great analytical skills.”
“I’d like to see it, but I know you’ll spoil things.”
“You’re such a hard worker.”
“My dad thinks you treat me bad.”
“My family loves you.”
“You always forget my favorite _______!”
“My brothers are jealous.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
“I love that song!”
“There are a lot of women who would treat me better.”
“You’re everything I ever dreamed of.”
“Your family comes over too much.”
“We were meant for each other.”
“Why are you wasting money on that?”
Mirror spins
Smoke tears
Choking
I break the mirrors
and buy a smoke eater.
Breathing better
but now deaf —
and blind.
Stumbling along
tapping on my keyboard.
Amaya is the host of dVerse today. Amaya says:
As we think about our own place within this complex construct of empty rhetoric and doublespeak, optical illusion and obscure motives; let us also remember most importantly, that writing poetry is a clear and simple form of rebellion against a world that is anything but clear and simple. A noble act of civil disambiguation, if you will, and I am honored to partake with you tonight, my friends. So feel free to use whichever devices you have at your disposal in whichever poetic form you choose to convey your own experience of ‘smoke and mirrors’, from maddening repetition or Lewis Carroll-esque tomfoolery to dry irony or poignant symbolism.
Tao Talk 
Inner conflicts.
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My middle name. Thank you, Sadje.
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You’re welcome Li.
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You adeptly put the reader into a tailspin reading this poem….the mirrors seem to crack and move like they’re in some “fun house” that is in truth a house of mirrors meaning untruth and hurting shards pieced together.
“I break the mirrors
and buy a smoke eater.”
And then there’s the two lines I’ve quoted above….a breaking through.
I’m really entralled with this write!
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Lillian, thank you and very happy you connected with it.
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Very interesting journey & message here, and I really dig how you had us chase the dialogue all over the page. We’ve written before about masks–this prompt has its parallels. The input from friends and family is a reflection of sorts, yet it is distorted by their perceptual filters.
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Thanks, Glenn. The gaslighter will first try to charm/befriend friends and family as unwitting allies. Failing that, they subtly alienate the other person’s friends and family, so the only perspective/voice being heard is theirs. It’s insidious! Like you said in your poem, the red puff of smoke and bewilderment happens and you start to catch on, but by then you’re already so deep into it…
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What is said, thought, and heard…great rendition of the tangle of words. Stumbling along about sums it up. (K)
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Wonderful JadeLi. Breathing better for breaking the mirror of deception. I guess you’re deaf and blind to the frenzied noise of negativity.
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Thanks Len.
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Beautifully done Jade! Such a great description of how it often goes in our world. And we wonder why people protest !!
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Thank you, Dwight. It would be so much simpler if people would just be real with each other.
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Very hard to do for some!
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I love the way you break down the image of perfection, Jade, using the layout of the poem and the juxtaposition of the direct speech, which seems targeted at the reader, making us feel every spiteful barb paired with the insincere flattery. Gaslighting well portrayed.
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Thank you, Kim, for your thoughtful comment. The direct speech wasn’t meant to be targeted at the reader but from one of the partners to the other partner. I started out with all of the “good” comments first, then, when the “script gets flipped” in the relationship, all of the “spiteful barbs” coming after but decided to alternate them to generate “smoke and mirrors”.
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It does both!
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:)
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This is excellent… love how you used the conflicting dialogue (or maybe the other person’s monologue) to show a person breaking apart from the you person to something broken and shattered. Wonder how often such things happens.
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Bjorn, thank you for the comment and glad you liked how it turned out. I think these things happen with all too much frequency…
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And like the melting glaciers, with every unkind word and deed, a part of us returns to the sea. I love this Lisa.
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Linda glad you connected with it and appreciate your poetic comment.
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I certainly did. I always enjoy reading your words.
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:)
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My what a wonderfully structured poem to evoke your meaning, love it.
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Paul, thank you, glad it was effective.
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Powerful write, I love the flow and contrast
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Thank you, JP :)
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Yw 😁
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Smiles A Perfect Romance
A Poem Ironically Almost
Everything Else
iS UNrequited
Love Except
For Romeo And Juliet
The End That Never Begins..:)
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Good way of putting it :)
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Thanks so much For
Your inspiring
Poem.. 😁
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You are welcome and thank you for reading and commenting :)
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All my Pleasure..:)
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How many of our own thoughts are just the internalized projections of commentaries of others? You illustrate that so vividly!
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Very good question, Frank! Thank you.
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My pleasure, Jade! :)
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That smoke eater sounds like an interesting tool to have around.
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I wish we could install one at The White House and whenever a press conference is held!
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What courage it must take to leave such a relationship. Especially blinded from it, it could take a lifetime to clear the smoke and trust again.
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Yes, it does and yes it could, Amaya.
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Oh the brutal yin & yang of it all. The tiger turned into butter chasing its tail. We seem to turn into bitter or battered. Interesting and engaging direction you’ve taken with your perspective on Amaya’s smoke & mirrors prompt Lisa well written.
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Rob, thank you for your perspectives on the smoke and mirror poem. I bounce around between all 3 of these (butter, battered, bitter) depending on the moment. I hurled my fair share of smoke and mirrors as well.
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