Falling
Tinsel flutters among sun baubles
slicing wounds upon the dead, yet
lost in his head he wanders, blind.
Son’s bittersweet meanderings
likewise cling to bright marbles
in half-sunk goo of clotted blood.
Trapped in the present’s purgatory
a son leaves; a man dies alone.
I watched the 2020 film, “Falling,” which is written, directed, produced and starring Viggo Mortensen, the other night. Viggo plays the son and Lance Henricksen plays the dad. It had a big impact on me. It was like watching my own life flash before my eyes, with me as the son/daughter and my mom as the dad/mother; with a deviation, where I’m cisgender*, not gay/lesbian. I gave my quadrille the same title in honor of this fine, insightful film about dysfunctional families.
top image by Frans Blok
*cisgender is a term used by the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies to designate it as one term in a range of orientations, equalizing with all of the others instead of making it the one dominant, “normal” designation for gender orientation
Mish is today’s host of dVerse’ Quadrille. Mish says:
Write a poem of exactly 44 words (excluding the title) including the word “tinsel” and post your poem to your blog or website.
Tao Talk 
I like the first line very much – the contrast between the tinsel (glittery but insubstantial) and the sun itself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sarah. Those sunny moments are what so many cling to, but it’s the tinsel that tears people up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read the poem. After watching the trailer I read it again and understood it more. After watching the trailer, I think I will pass on the movie. Dysfunction too close for comfort right now and I am slowly walking away from comfort zones.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mary, perfectly understandable to pass on it. If I knew ahead of time how intense it would be I probably would have passed also. I’m sorry you also can connect with that dysfunction in the present.
LikeLike
Wow, what an impact the film must have had on you to grow this quadrille. I like the way tinsel takes the lead in your poem and it just becomes more intriguing, line by line.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh it did, Mish. That character is my mom! If this is autobiographical for Viggo, he needs a BIG HUG.
LikeLike
How sad it is when families disintegrate on questions on what we have been born to…. I have not watehed the film, but I could see the story in your words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true, when we push our expectations on to each other there can be nothing but disappointment. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
LikeLike
your poem has so much going on beneath the showy tinsel
p.s. whatever the specific contentious issues, the family unity will always struggle to remain bonded – some win through, some don’t. Dysfunctional is a bit harsh though for these.
p.p.s. I had to look up cis – not an acronym but a Latin root!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laura, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I agree that some families are better at sticking together than others. Some never bond, some have healthy bonds, some have trauma bonds. Each family story is unique and I daresay some are dysfunctional, even harshly so.
p.s. I had to go look up the latin root of cis, which I see means “cut” or “kill,” but in the case of cisgender it has a specific definition maybe only loosely connected to either of those roots. Check it out here, at M-W (also just added a footnote about it at the post in relation to LGBTQIA+):
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cisgender
LikeLike
p.s. my research suggest cis is derived from Latin meaning on this side of.” sounds better
LikeLiked by 1 person
indeed! I just took the first google pop-up.
LikeLike
wow… “slicing wounds upon the dead”… that feels very dark to me in particular, Lisa… beautiful, but emotionally challenging.
❤
David
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for reading and your comment. The film and this poem go hand in hand (and may be extrapolated to my life) so see the movie and you will hopefully understand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
👍
LikeLike
powerful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Na’ama. I know you get it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yep … I do.
LikeLike
Oh lordy. I read your quadrille – found it very powerful. Watched the trailer and then reread your quadrille. Wonderfully done, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dale, thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I want to watch the movie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please do! And let me know if you do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I have it, I’m watching it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Clotted blood and tinsel makes a very unsettling combination. One to ponder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jane. Agreed.
LikeLike
There’s a remarkable physicality to the poem that cuts and sticks to my mind like errant tinsel. I have not watched the film, however, and will have to see if I can find the time to hunt it down at some point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Masa, thank you for the feedback and hope you can find it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice one. Don’t know that movie.
Happy you dropped by to read mine
Much💟love
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Gillena. It’s an intense movie. Happy Monday!
LikeLike
FALLING is a magnificent film, and so is your poem. We all have our “family tales” to tell, but yours packs an emotional wallop. Now that I am 77 and cranky disabled, I have to work hard at not becoming that family member no one wants to be with.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glenn, I’m so happy to hear you’ve seen it. Where you are aware and work hard to avoid that end, in the dad’s case in the movie he has no self-awareness, which makes it particularly unfortunate. Glad you liked the poem.
LikeLike
Oh wow… I am pretty much speechless at the power and gravity your words stir. It’s quite emotional, painful, and wow, wow, wow, just the way you wrote this, I’m in awe. And those final few lines, the absolute closer, the point that brings it all home. Such an impactful poem. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Lucy. Nice to see you back. I wondered where you were!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your opening lines cut through the story specially with: slicing wounds upon the dead. Some many family stories are kept hidden & unaddressed, a purgatory as your term. I have to watch that movie – thanks for the recommendation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grace, thank you for your feedback and sensitive comment. I hope you do get a chance to see it. ❤
LikeLike
Son’s bittersweet meanderings
Great lines Jade, when you highlight what can be wrong in a family relationship. It is not often rare but do happen in many instances!
Hank
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hank, unfortunately it is hard to disagree. Too many instances 😦 Thank you for reading and your comment.
LikeLike
To wound the dead…that is indeed intense. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nicely done, Mish!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Dwight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait… you are not Mish!? Sorry about that Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No worries, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:>)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The disorienting imagery I imagine plays off the film’s disorienting tensions, a failure of relationship “in half-sunk goo of clotted blood.” The surreal imagery works brilliantly here, Lisa.
Pax,
Dora
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dora, the film was a shock to the system, not only because of the abusive nature of the father, but because it resonated as too close for comfort. Thank you very much, Dora, for your comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems like an intense movie. I’ll try to find it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good I hope you do, but please, be prepared. The verbal abuse and profanity are extreme.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Long live Viggo – he is my favourite actor, and makes some thought provoking art, whether film, or other medium. I am looking forward to watching this movie, myself.
Your poem walks the tightrope of symbolism, what is literal and what is not, is neither lost or able to be found, it’s all there, in its visceral truth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your insightful comment, Darius. Sorry for the delay in responding but I found your comment in my spam folder. Have you seen Viggo in Captain Fantastic?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Loved that film. Viggo shines – not to take away from the other cast members, but it’s one of his best. We all feel a bit outside of society at times, I expect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes he did and I really like how the philosophy of feeling outside of society was explored in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I read your poem, Lisa, I thought ‘this is three shorter poems.” A three act poem? Well done. Very deep. The movie explains it, but it does well alone (or they do). 🙂
Thanks for education about cisgender. I did not know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just re-read it as 3 shorter poems and see what you mean. The last one is very similar to a line in the movie, “Sin City,” said by Harrigan, the Bruce Willis character. Thank you for your feedback and my pleasure on education on cisgender.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Then I had to go out and find the quote at imdb:
John Hartigan: An old man dies. A young woman lives. A fair trade. I love you, Nancy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh. 🙂 There it is, Lisa. The mic drop words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shuddered as I read your quadrille. Watching this movie is one thing but to have gone through it…
Hugs, Li.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Punam, *thank*you*. I used to imagine a scenario where I was up at a podium, having just won some kind of award and having to give the thank you speech and saying, “I’d like to thank my mother because I succeeded despite your best efforts.” It is sad and pitiful and things like it should never happen, but you know how the world is. It’s a jungle out there. It’s just sad when the greatest source of pain and disappointment is the one person that is supposed to keep you safe. Thank you for the hugs, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hear you, Li. This brought tears to my eyes. You should be very proud of yourself for what and where you are today and they way you have brought up two fine sons.
You are so welcome, my friend. ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t seen the film Lisa, but your quadrille conveys a tortuous experience. ‘goo of clotted blood’ was a particularly strong image.
(You sound like you are in a much better place now? I hope so.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marion, I’m in a better place now than at other times. Covid isolation hasn’t been a friend though. One day at a time. Thank you for asking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love how you’ve shattered these lovely trinkets, perhaps in a way exposing them. The separation and the distances between, I can relate to these things. Wonderful, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
K, I appreciate your comment and am sorry you can relate to them but happy you understand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
💜
LikeLiked by 1 person