Perfectly Polished

by Hannah Lizette   Jan 10, 2013


As I lightly stroke "Liquid Raven"
across my eager nails,
I think of you.

You had always teased me
on how they always had to match my outfit -
I had to be perfectly polished from
head to toe.

Tonight and only tonight,
my black nails mourn for you -
for my mascara is too expensive to ruin.

Tomorrow,
they will be swiped clean,
awaiting a new bright future.

Copyright 2013: Hannah K.

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Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by Marcy Lewis

    This is great.

    As I lightly stroke "Liquid Raven"
    across my eager nails,
    I think of you.

    ^If you would have just used the word 'black', I probably wouldn't have kept reading. It's your exceptional use of adjectives that make me want to read further. It's such a dark, smooth imaged that you evoke here.

    You had always teased me
    on how they always had to match my outfit -
    I had to be perfectly polished from
    head to toe.

    ^At this point, I wasn't sure where this poem was going. Maybe a taunting significant other who had moved on, or a friend or family member dying, evoking a memory from you.

    Tonight and only tonight,
    my black nails mourn for you -
    for my mascara is too expensive to ruin.

    ^This for me, can be taken in two ways. Because it's black nail polish, and it's mourning, it seems like a funeral. But, the second way, is a metaphoric funeral. You're moving on past whomever this person is/was, and only tonight will you mourn the memory of them...

    Tomorrow,
    they will be swiped clean,
    awaiting a new bright future.

    ^until you start new tomorrow, and the pain of them is no longer there, or the first scenario I mentioned, you most past the loss of a loved one and you're not going to let it stop you.

    Regardless, I love this. Added to my favorite poems. You definitely have a way with making things so smooth and vivid. Very impressive, love!

  • 11 years ago

    by CathyButterflyJC

    It's not that long but it said all that it needed to, wonderful poem

  • 11 years ago

    by Xanthe

    Creative as always, Hannah. If only the site had italics, i thought it would've been better instead of using the quotation marks. Enjoyed this as well, nonetheless.

  • 11 years ago

    by Rusheena

    Who knew nail polish could make for such a great poem? This is fantastic!

  • 11 years ago

    by Baby Rainbow

    Love this one of yours Hannah. It shows a control someone has had over you and painting you as perfect and all you had to do was to be to their standards and nothing less. In this poem you show part of this control such as how you dress and paint your nails and have to look perfect. But you also show that you will not stand for it anymore and will break free of this. Brilliant use of make up here to portray your message, and love how you show how little he is worth that he is not even worth wasting your mascara on! ouch, that gotta hurt their ego!

    Love it xxxxxx

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