If there were questions to be asked of me
they would be-
why I choose to cloak
myself in words
and why I encourage the torrid affair
between pen and paper (in my home)
or even
why I don’t simply stop
to breathe
My answer…if there were an audience
would be
“Have you seen the wind pause for breath-
-even when it passes through deadly hemlock?
or have you seen a waterfall retreat to whence it came?
or
perhaps a volcano regret its eruption?
These points are moot so let’s speak of other matters
Are there any questions?
© Vivian Zems
Dverse Poets– Poetics- Last Lines
“Are there any questions?”- The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
Note: Hemlock is a very poisonous plant. In fact, all parts of the plant are toxic. Hemlock is most poisonous during the early stages of growth in the spring, but it is dangerous at all stages of growth
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January 14, 2020 at 9:31 pm
Love how you took the questions seriously… personally I think there are less good questions than good answers.
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January 21, 2020 at 12:52 am
Thanks Björn!
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January 14, 2020 at 9:42 pm
I feel your burning passion for what you do and love the examples you use. Your voice is charged with energy — good energy!
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January 21, 2020 at 12:51 am
Thank you ! 🙂
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January 21, 2020 at 1:18 am
You’re welcome 🙂
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January 14, 2020 at 10:57 pm
Here we stand, or sit “cloaked with words”, poets all, spewing language wrapped in poetics. Your questions are clever, bordering on rhetorical; good job.
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January 17, 2020 at 1:43 pm
Thanks Glenn😊
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January 14, 2020 at 10:58 pm
I like your description of writing as a “torrid affair
between pen and paper”.
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January 21, 2020 at 12:51 am
Thanks Frank!
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January 15, 2020 at 2:30 am
“torrid affair
between pen and paper”
That is so good.
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January 17, 2020 at 1:43 pm
Thanks Shawna!🙏🏽
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January 15, 2020 at 9:26 am
I got so immersed in The Handmaid’s Tale and had so many questions at the end. I love the way you directly address your reader, and the lines:
‘why I chose to cloak
myself in words
and why I encourage the torrid affair
between pen and paper…’
Questions I’ve often asked myself!
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January 17, 2020 at 1:42 pm
Thank you 😊
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January 15, 2020 at 1:22 pm
This is wonderful, Vivian!
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January 17, 2020 at 1:42 pm
Thanks Chris!
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January 15, 2020 at 2:50 pm
I suppose the best questions have no answers.
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January 17, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Indeed!
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January 15, 2020 at 4:31 pm
kaykuala
or have you seen a waterfall retreat to whence it came?
perhaps a volcano regret its eruption?
Beautifully thought out Vivian,coupled with a perfect choice of words. You have the knack of picking them out very cleverly!
Hank
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January 17, 2020 at 1:41 pm
Thanks Hank!
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January 15, 2020 at 5:14 pm
I LOVE this! Love the questions…love the answer. Just a GREAT write! 🙂
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January 17, 2020 at 1:41 pm
Thanks Lillian!
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January 15, 2020 at 6:13 pm
Wonderful write Vivian.
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January 17, 2020 at 1:40 pm
Thanks Kim!
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January 17, 2020 at 1:57 pm
Lol. It’s Linda! 😂
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January 21, 2020 at 12:50 am
Arrrgh! Ooops – brain fart! Sorry! Need to check that I didn’t give Kim your name!
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January 21, 2020 at 12:53 am
Haha! No worries. 🤣
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January 21, 2020 at 12:56 am
🙂 🙂
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January 15, 2020 at 10:54 pm
I love where you took this. Great questions!
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January 17, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Thank you!
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January 16, 2020 at 2:22 am
Love this….the insight, the analogies and the sprinkle of sarcasm in the voice. This is wonderful!
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January 21, 2020 at 12:50 am
Thanks Mish!
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January 16, 2020 at 6:37 pm
I like the tricky, clever, twisty logic you play with here.
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January 17, 2020 at 1:38 pm
Thanks Jeddiah 😊
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January 17, 2020 at 1:39 pm
Sorry typo Jedediah
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January 17, 2020 at 3:21 pm
Answering a question with a question is one of my favorite ways of listening. Having caught us with your first line you through us back to the wind and water to the wild dangerous beauty of the world and let us find the answer in our own bodies.
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January 21, 2020 at 12:56 am
Thanks Christine!
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January 20, 2020 at 11:16 pm
Awesome post, My Dear!
xoxo
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January 21, 2020 at 8:56 am
So pleased you like it. Thank you!!
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January 21, 2020 at 1:20 am
Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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January 21, 2020 at 8:55 am
Thanks Chuck!!
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January 21, 2020 at 5:52 pm
Always a pleasure sharing your work!!
xoxo
🌹👍
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January 24, 2020 at 9:58 pm
🙏🏽🙏🏽
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