Germaine

The feeling I get after reading this is so dark and chilly...love it! It has so many layers that the more I read it, the more new things I discover. When I read the first two lines, I was like "oh boy, I hope this isn't a cliched piece like most that contain Mona Lisa" but you proved me wrong! This was just out of this world amazing!

" went home with rain and nostalgia
woven carelessly through tainted tresses."
^The imagery here is truly exceptional, just like the rest of the piece. But these two lines stuck out to me the most. I love your use of "nostalgia" and "tresses" It just blends so nicely together as well as with the overall feel of the poem.

Loved this, well done!

Your made me think of a film.It is a very visual piece.I really like it.

I thought I had commented on this before...sorry, it seems I didn't.

You have me interested as to exactly who Germaine is? I know Monet had a stepdaughter by this name but she was never featured in his works that I know of..one of the other daughter was I think. So...Then I also though Germaine Greer because she was outspoken enought o say that the Mona Lisa was a man haha!! No...you have me stumped here because I'm not sure if it was either of them...I'm thinking not.

It doesn't realy matter because you had me really interested from start to finish...some really lovely words used here...when I first read it to be honest...I thought you'd gone slightly overboard but...with each read they seem to have merged into the background and have now become part of this wonderful poem....very intriguing write...loved it!

Omg........omg...........wt*........omg

Ummmmmm yeah xanthe you rock!

I think i need a smoke......

Thats was just ........oh just forget it.

A masterpiece truely it is x

Xantheeee!! Xanthe, Xanthe...my heart, my brain, give me a break!!

I know I haven't commented on your poems in ages it feels, but I read them and then I'm usually in awe. I never know what to say, even with this poem I do not really know what to say, but I thought that I had to break the silence and overcome my fear of being totally wrong. It will be worth it, especially since you caused me to do some research...I love doing research to understand poems! But to be honest, I am still not sure who you mean by "Germaine".

When I first read the title I was also rather confused..because I wasn't as familiar with the name as I wished I was, so I first read your poem, to see if I might get what you're trying to convey without knowing who you're refering to, but I failed, miserably.

I did read the comments too and I also thought that you might mean Germaine Greer (born 1939), feminist writer and academic, just like Luce guessed, but I am not too positive to be honest... I think you might also refer to the french origin in some way, as their are communes called that in France as well as a saint, composer etc etc. and yeah the Mona Lisa is in Paris currently. Anyways, now more into the poem.

"She stole Mona Lisa's smile, painted it
with Monet's sunset and hid it beneath
her own mask."
^ I think that this is really captivating, I love the idea of cooperating art and knowledge into poems, especially if it all works together so well. I feel as though the persona couldn't help, but finally reveal that truth as if it was heavy on her heart and she had to share it. I do think that "she" is Germaine, but I have yet to understand why she'd do such a thing. I can see how she wants the smile for herself, but why replace it... and why with something that's not as articulative as the original, almost like she did not even want to cover up the incidence.

"achroous"
^ Does that word actually exist? I've tried to look it up and couldn't find it...so I'd be glad if you explained it to me.

In the second stanza there is so much "death" without you rubbing it into our face, you lead us there, slowly and gently. Your words hint it, and make it acceptable in a way, it does not come surprising, but rather knowingly as though it was meant to happen and you don't shock us with it.

Sigh I think I am still not over this poem, it's toooo much, tooooo good!!! Xanthe, you're brilliant. I'll just stop here, after I said one more thing, but maybe I'll come back.

"be baffled with the familiarity
of empty words etched not deep enough on
a piece of cold stone."
^ I thought this was so nice. You're expressing that the persona knows that "she" might have achieved things in her life, with her words, but that tehy weren't wrong enough, not moving enough, not tangible and you feel the same way about your writes, the content and way to present what you have to say may differ, but it doesn't change the fact, that you feel as though both of you "failed". It almost goes as far as gravestone not having any remarkable "phrase", which could show that it might just be anybody else.

Oh and I loved that you repeated the beginning once more and added the last line! Omg you're brilliant :)