Little

by Colm   Feb 18, 2013


When I am little in mind
or little in forgiveness
or, if worse, and apathetic
with the day,
my home is where it shouldn't be,
it's public and ridiculous.

When I am economical
in sentences and the silence
circles and is saturated,
my songs are spaces that couldn't
and words that aren't.

When I am proverbial
and repeating injustices,
or assimilating small behaviours,
it is small wonder and cure
that my factory heart
remembers to beat
'as for me, all I know
is that I know nothing'

3


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  • 11 years ago

    by Meme

    I am already in love with this poem, I read it way too many times and I think I still will read it again and again. I must say that the title gave nothing about the piece which made me really curious to want to know what the whole thing was all about!

    The first verse was spot on; I loved how all the states you were in led you to where you think your home shouldn't be: smart word choice in here!

    One of my favorite things used in poetry is the use of words and songs to describe a behavior or an emotion, thus the last line in your second verse was breathtaking to me.
    And last came your final verse which had one of the most touching lines I read in a poem..

    "it is small wonder and cure
    that my factory heart
    remembers to beat"
    ^^
    The factory heart part was so EPIC! Since you referred to it as human made organ rather than it being created of flesh and blood; a normal human heart would remember to beat on its own, it would keep and save memories by itself but in your case use of factory heart leads to the conclusion that it cannot do things on its own and that it should be you the one who control and direct its action.
    One of the best poems I read in a while.

  • 11 years ago

    by Saerelune

    "I am usually not much a fan of poems with too many adjectives/adverbs scattered about, but I am willing to make an exception here because I feel like exactly these words are what make this poem so special. The poet knows how to keep his balance of interesting, sophisticated wording and simple everyday wording while also incorporating some sort of melody throughout the poem (it honestly feels like the lines are singing on their own, I especially enjoyed the sibilance of the second stanza). To me this must be one of this week's technically more nuanced poems, but there's more to this poem than that. I like the way its message is illustrated by different scenarios of how a person could be regarded as "little", scenarios that seem to take so little space too (i.e. small lines)! It takes a few reads to truly let the words sink in, because I believe that most would be too enchanted by its melody at first read, but once the reader grasps its meaning, he/she is sure to be blown away. That's what happened to me anyway. Kudos!"

    [Weekly Contest 25-02-2013]

  • 11 years ago

    by Meena Krish

    I find this a very interesting write and each time I read it, different meanings and thoughts
    appear. I've read people saying I only know so little but this, you really put it nicely and with images that a reader can understand the depth.

    When I am proverbial
    and repeating injustices,
    or assimilating small behaviours,
    it is small wonder and cure
    that my factory heart
    remembers to beat
    'as for me, all I know
    is that I know nothing'

    ^^This stanza stood out for me and it finishes
    the write with a thought saying, "yes that is true" Its like a saying we only learn a handful but there is still a world size that we do not know. Liked the read and congrats on the win:)

  • 11 years ago

    by shakil ahmed

    Nice poem. Rue my inability that at places thoughts getting garbled. Let there be a little mist but not such a dense fog more so in a valley that is not my own.

  • 11 years ago

    by Britt

    Excuse me, this is brilliant. I started to pick out pieces here and there that I liked but couldn't really decide, so instead just know I'm highlighting the entire piece.

    This is so different from the stuff I've seen you write before - different good, of course! I'm always in love with all your work, that's no surprise to you, but this pulled me in in a different way. You speak so honestly.. this poem scratches vulnerability in a way that I can really relate to. The beginning is really beautiful, too. I appreciate the consistency of "little".. it's hard to be "big" all the time. Hard to be spot on and always know the right thing to do, say, and feel. To admit that is a certain kind of awesome :)

    I really love this poem. See, I'm not the only one who notices your brilliance ;)