NaPoWriMo #24 – part 2: His Cane

This is part 2 of my twenty fourth post for National Poetry Month 2010

…this piece that follows was inspired by the April 23rd prompt at Magpie Tales

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His Cane

•

he is a stern man
she knows it
she finds him irresistible

she loves his stern face
his stern smile
his stern voice

she knows him
like no other
she has seen through
the part in the curtain

she knows the taste of his kiss
the twinkle in his stern eyes
she adores the touch
of his strong stern hands

warm sure hands

so too
she loves his cane

• • •

rob kistner © 2010


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Come on Carey get out your cane
I’ll put on some silver
Oh you’re a mean old Daddy
But I like you

•
…lyrics from “Carey”
by: Joni Mitchel 1971
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26 thoughts on “NaPoWriMo #24 – part 2: His Cane

  1. Rob:

    What a touching poem– Over time (his age) we shield ourselves from pain and loss,(frown) w erect barriers, But she still sees past to the ‘natural’ state of the heart the inherent tenderness — and the cane can represent his vulnerable part to lean on someone. Very well done, I guess poetry is about what we see or relate too?

    Joanny

  2. Dear Rob: The Cane raises some interesting dictomies. On the one hand the cane is a symbol of male domination and power in the world. On the other hand the cane is a symbol of male domination in the area of romantic love ok I’ll say it…a phallic symbol. Both are attractive and intoxicating elixirs for the female pursuasion. Wonderful juxtapositions and contrasts, male/female, power/submission in your poem. Maybe it is not as simple as these contrasts? The cane is also a ancient power symbol which creates magic as your poetry always evokes in the reader. Viva la difference!

  3. I enjoyed the dichotomy of his sternness & her affection for him – but I have to say that the last line disturbed me a lot. It’s my gutter mind – I started thinking S&M. Yikes! Heh.

  4. I am always fascinated by the interesting power of poetry to spark the imagination. In reading the comments here I see several interpretations of what my poem “was about”.

    The reality is, the cane graphic prompt, that Willow posted, put me in mind of some lyrics from the Joni Mitchell song “Carey” — that is why I posted the lyrics along with my poem when I first posted. The poem I wrote is my reaction to the particular lyrics, with no personal interpretation intended on my part — beyond love and sensuality.

    With these different perspectives having been posted here, wonder what that lyric from Joni’s song “was about”?

    …rob

  5. A nice light touch of a poem. Words may say “stern” but the poem is the soft response to that. Very nicely done! And the ending of course is just that subtle right touch of contrast and affection. (Thanks Rob.)

  6. Well, this is a deep one with a lot of contrast — soft and hard, love and lust. Clever, too. Which curtain? A hospital? The Wizard? You managed to get me to read this poem three times. Bravo! Well done, Robert.

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