Reanimated Lavender Granola Switchblade Nun rides again.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

About Athena

She's a headache, father. 
You know it better than any.
And what about that bird she insists upon having?
It swoops down from the top of the chiffarobe
whenever I walk in carrying laundry. 

Oh, I talk to her.
She just gets out those everlasting scales and stands there
without saying a word.
The owl twists its neck and gapes too.
It's unnerving.

I went through her closet
--looking for drugs!--
and there, at the bottom of a tube of tennis balls,
I found a lightning bolt.
What do you suppose she's doing with that

Finally, I went through her dresser.
The owl started pacing on the chiff like a constable.
Athena walked in just as I found them--
"Will you be snooping...er, staying for lunch, Mother?"
--six dead rats laid all in a row
like a diamond necklace.
_________

for Poets United Midweek Motif--Owls


14 comments:

  1. Only you can tell a tale like this. I love the pacing constable owl and shudder at the dead rats in the drawer. Love the snooping / staying for lunch question. I dont know how you keep doing this, but am so delighted that you do.

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  2. I like the owl activity all along from swooping down from 'the top of the chiffarobe' to neck twisting and gaping to pacing up like a constable; & also the snooping mother :)

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  3. A delightful poem, I felt I was in the room!

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  4. No, growing up in a merely human family was not easy for me either, Shay!

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  5. Yes! I thought of you the minute I saw this prompt!

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  6. You are a word sorceress, Shay. Loved this.

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  7. I was just following right along … until we got tot he six dead rats. Ewwwww! A rollicking read!

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  8. "The owl twist(s) its neck ..."

    I would stay for dinner.

    The parts about drugs and lightning are my faves. You are so good.

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  9. Born of migraine, Athena's balance and wisdom has gotta have some drugs, some rats, a lightning bolt in the closet. Has to. She had no mother, no child, but who knows what her real bourne is. De owl do ...

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  10. It is always a delight to find someone has written a poem that is quite different that engages you, maybe tests you to but most importantly really delights, which this one has done beautifully.

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  11. reminds me of the rat restaurants in Canton

    except more skillfully flensed ~

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  12. I am also thinking of Athena's owl. Love this at-home scene, cracks me up! I am sure she used the lightening bolt to get the rodents.

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  13. I just love this to bits! What an excellent tale of a dysfunctional family -well, maybe just a dysfunctional daughter.
    But I love this daughter, admire that she lives outside the box. There is no fun in being normal!
    Anna :o]

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  14. ...wonderfully created! Perhaps my 16 year old has a bit of a goddess in her as well - at least she has the attitude down! :)

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Spirit, what do you wish to tell us?