Memoir of a Southern Girl
You open the pages of books and your nails splinter
Crack freshly bound spines cruelly
Lay bare random words?
You open books
To find the messages you want to see.
If the message is not there
You imbue it into the resisting lines.
Ink smears across the page
Your heart clenches smaller inside its suffocating glove.
A truth so fresh it startles
You close the book
Place it behind college textbooks from 1963
This book is too powerful for you.
Photo by Jenny Marvin on Unsplash
Dominic Alapat
A beautiful and profound poem! You make an important point about books and reading! Wonderful!
Je
Ah, you did it again Jaya. What a gift!
“You open books
To find the messages you want to see.
If the message is not there
You imbue it into the resisting lines.”
Bending reality to your will when sometimes what you’re seeking is just not there, and then turning away from it because reality is “too powerful for you.” Loved it.xx
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing the way you read this! I love that it clicked with you so deeply.
aimsysantics
Oh, this is fab! I could hear the book spine cracking when reading. It really does embody trying to twist something to fit your own narrative and disengaging when it doesn’t. Sometimes you just have to revisit to truly understand, don’t you?
Aimsy xoxo
Jaya Avendel
Writing that invites me back to find a new meaning is beautiful! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
Lisa's Notebook
If we don’t find what we expect in a text then yes, it’s true, we do twist what we read into what we want it to say. Beautifully put, Jaya, as always!
Sharila
That first stanza describing the sound of a book’s spine cracking really got me. It took me to the smell of a new book and the possibility that it brings. Amazing work!
Jaya Avendel
Ah, the smell of a new book deserves a poem of its own! Thanks so much for the inspiration. 🙂
thathappyreader
Your poem is absolutely lovely. It reminds me of how at times we are more willing to actively listen to others, while other times we may not be as open or as capable. Thank you so much for sharing.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing such a lovely perspective on this!
Jenny in Neverland
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing x
Sara James
Reblogged this on Vividnstylish and commented:
A heartfelt poem by Jaya Avendel
A truth so fresh it startles
Jaya Avendel
<3
Sara James
We all say knowledge is power, but when knowledge defiance our way of life; we prefer to stay uninformed:)
Heartfelt Poem, Jaya
Jaya Avendel
Staying uninformed is a choice many people make. Knowledge is consciousness is power!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
agirlwithaview1
Love this! I think it’s so true that we often search for the meaning we want rather than seeing what’s actually there.
Tash – A Girl with a View
Jaya Avendel
I love that you felt that in this writing! Thank you. <3
Jacky Adam
👍👍👍
quirkymoms486
I feel this so much! Books are my safe haven. Wonderful piece Jaya!
barbaraleaver
Having our own truth displayed can be a hard experience. Your use of a book is captivating and vivid
Jaya Avendel
🥰 Thank you! I love the way you experienced this message.
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
“You open books
To find the messages you want to see.
If the message is not there
You imbue it into the resisting lines.”
Jaya this is me! But I would have never been able to explain this feature in a such perfect way.
Thank You so much DEAR <3
Jaya Avendel
<3 I am so happy you connected with these words you have been searching for! Thank you!
Tom
I can imagine this being the way so many people are inclined to read today – seeking out confirmation of their own beliefs or imaginations, forcing subtext where they’re unsatisfied. Gorgeous language as always!
Jaya Avendel
Yes, Tom, you put the story I am sharing here so perfectly! Thank you for connected with this. 🙂
Kelly Diane
Wow such a striking and an emotive piece.
paeansunplugged
Reading a book acquires a new meaning in your words, Jaya. So many beautiful lines but this stood out
“A truth so fresh it startles
You close the book”
Jaya Avendel
Love that you felt this so deeply! Thank you.
paeansunplugged
You are always welcome.
Nancy
This kind of reminds me of people. Sometimes, they ask for advice and only want to hear what they want to hear. It’s hard to handle the truth sometimes, and when it is written in the books, it’s hard to get it changed. I like how you described putting it behind a bunch of old college textbooks. Speaking of which, I haven’t gotten back to mine ever since! Great job on this piece!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
Jaya Avendel
Thank you, Nancy, for sharing another way messages are often warped out of context! Love it. <3
kayleighzarablogs
I love the last line ‘this book is too powerful for you’ it’s such a thoughtful way to end this beautiful piece of poetry x
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much, Kayleigh!
Michele Lee
Sometimes we aren’t ready for the messages, even if our search has been extensive and exhaustive.
Sometimes it takes courage to read, listen, and hear what we would rather hide on the shelf.
Deeply moving, Jaya. 💖
Jaya Avendel
Beautifully put and felt, Michele!
short-prose-fiction
Gorgeous write Java.
Unwanted Life
Great piece. Due to my lack of linguistic skill, I was wondering if I was understating this section properly: “If the message is not there, You imbue it into the resisting lines” is the implication that if we don’t find our message we create the message we want to find by reading inbetween the lines?
Jaya Avendel
You nailed my intended interpretation in this piece beautifully! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
very nice, enjoyed this.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you~
eob2
Your heart clenches smaller inside its suffocating glove.
Wow that line….as though a breath is taken away. Journey through a journal of the past. Nicely done, Jaya.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much for your beautiful read!
eob2
You’re welcome 😊
Scriberly
“If the message is not there
You imbue it into the resisting lines.”
Such beautiful imagery 💕
Ingrid
Powered and mystifying words, Jaya!
Carla Milho
Beautiful 👏👏👏