alt. title: narrative cop-outs I am sick of

[odditycollector]

Something pissed me off today. You get a poem about it.

 
the value of daughters

So you would write a story
for me to care about.
I will tell you how.

Draw a man. Use ink. Use words if you have them. Shape him out of clay.
Give him a name, so I may remember him. Tell me he is strong.
Give him a child. Make it a daughter
so I know he is a good man. A man who would stay for a daughter
who would teach and love a daughter
even without a son to bind him.

And keep the daughter young. Old enough to smile for the man you created
(for you created a good man)
but years from learning of opinions
or that she could have one, if it won't mess your story
the one I care about.
And give the daughter pretty curls
and tell me she has her mother's eyes
like all good girls do.

Now. Sharpen your blade. The one in your mind
where you keep your story.
Watch reflections in its steel until you see
the daughter of the man you created
for me to care about

then swing fast. Draw a knife, a crowbar,
a bullet to send through pretty curls.
A car with broken lines.
Or create wolves to tear her
or hands to squeeze her throat
or send her piece by piece in boxes to her father
blood soaking down your paper.
Rape her if you must.

But do it all
between panel, chapter, line
behind the easel.
Turn off the camera
so I do not hear the screams
so I do not mistake a daughter
for something that might have become a human being.

Does he cry, the man you created? He should, if you did your work carefully.
(if you created a good man)
Catch his tears in resin
or ink or words or clay
and string them up around him, fancy ornaments like something interesting
for me to care about.
When you begin your story, I will see them
and turn the pages.

And do not wonder for the daughters.
They hit the ground no harder than their sisters
trampled into dirt or sold for pieces
or left behind before their mother's milk has dried
or drowned or starved or oil burning down their backs
names listed at no grave site.
Those daughters drawn in blood and bone
not ink not words not in a father's tears
unless that father is a good man.

Comments

[odditycollector]

I'm sorry that, well, that it was necessary for me to write it. It is made out of upset. But thank you for reading it.

[odditycollector]

I know what you mean. It exists because I needed something focused.

[odditycollector]

I'm glad it worked for you.

[odditycollector]

*sighs* yeah. I would rather live in the world where it wasn't, though.

[gretazreta]

I must admit I hadn't thought about this. Be assured I won't forget it - this is really powerful and will stay with me a long while. (also here via cereta on lj)

[d_generate_girl]

Truthfully, I have no context for what prompted this. I think it's comics-related, but I'm not familiar with the fandom. It doesn't matter, because the lesson is one that is needed for everyone. This is one of the most powerful things I've read in a long time. I'm sorry for the pain that prompted it. I'm not sorry I read it.

[holyschist]

Me, too.

[nextian]

I just found out about Lian Harper. And, fuck, yes. As a father's daughter, thank you.

[ranalore]

Here via cereta, and this is a thing of beautiful rage.

[bunners]

Oh god. Yeah, crying now. Thank you, that's everything and anything that needed saying here, I think.

[opheliastornoway]

Crappy trope, wonderful poem. Thank you.

[kickthebeat]

As painfully gorgeous as this was, I would give so much for it to be completely unnecessary. Every single time, really, but especially this time.

Thank you for writing it, though. ♥

[odditycollector]

Thanks for giving it a shot, in that case-- I'm not much for deep, symbolic poetry either, but sometimes it can be a useful form for keeping raw ideas.

[a_white_rain]

Actually, the truth is, there are some poems I like. But I like the ones that I'd term as you said - raw a lot. And Dr. Seuss.

[odditycollector]

I think that's about as close to a win I can get, here... Thank you for the compliment.

[odditycollector]

If it's just been the one instance, I don't think it'd have upset me in the same way. But the whole trope needs to go away for a while.

This is one of the most powerful things I've read in a long time.
Thank you, that is an excellent compliment.

[odditycollector]

I cannot imagine the decision-making that went on, there. Someone needs to be kicked a bunch.

[odditycollector]

Thank you.

[templemarker]

man, I'm almost in tears at work reading this. What a terrible thing the inspiration is, even if what you've made is beautiful.

[odditycollector]

Ah, just not "Real" poetry, with Themes and Significance, like we learn in school.

*is cynical today*

[a_white_rain]

Those have their place and I can tell they're objectively good when they are but the kinda thing you wrote there? Gets me right where it's supposed to.

[eisen]

This is beautiful, and so true. I think I only stopped myself from having my whole body curl in remembered rage and sorrow because I know it would have been confusing to my household about why.

[odditycollector]

*nods* yeah, I just meant... it took me a while to decide it was okay to like or work with other forms than the ones they told me counted.

[a_white_rain]

Oh yeah I totally understand that. The things we learn as 'good' are very narrow. I can actually love those things MORE now that I have other things that I love if that makes any sense?

[odditycollector]

I'm sorry. I wish we lived in a world where this was met with confusion instead.