[lemonthief]

RAGDOLL

The world snuck up on me.

It hollowed out the eye pits,
poked in glass balls. Sliced the tongue at the root.
Each tooth slouched in a black velvet case.

Hair plucked and swapped with brown string
in neat plaits. Cilia against the lungs
all shorn.

It sucked the brain out,
filled the skull with hundreds
of beads, which shake like a rainstorm.

Cotton wool against the delicate little bones of the ear,
both wrists severed clean.
Slipped quietly into a food bag, and sealed,

the ugly mass of the heart.

*

“Ragdoll, ragdoll,” they say, “you have the same expression in every photograph. A straight knitted line for a grin, a frown, a gasp of surprise.”

A boy changes my dungarees for a cream lace dress.

“You look beautiful,” he says.

In bed he pulls me close.

“Don’t listen to what they say,” he whispers softly, “They don’t know you like I do. Come here. Come here.”

I say nothing. He gathers me to his side in a loose bundle and falls asleep.

A tiny bird thrashes against my throat in the dark.

[Bill]

This is surprisingly lovely, especially considering the words and images.

I love "shake like a rainstorm," and the very last line, which kills.

[lemonthief]

Cheers, Bill.

[Chudz]

Well, I'm not good about poetry, but this was definitely moving. I'm still trying to decide on what level it hit me at. . . .

[mamawsue]

I really related to this poem Sof! "Ragdoll" part blew my mind...putting on 'the face' for the world.

Well, that is what I got from that line for my own life anyway.

Great to see someone posting again...looks in the mirror and shakes her head at herself..haha!!!!

[AppleofEris]

Oh! I just got a little tickle of happiness at seeing a Sofey poem. It has been too long!

And what a great Sofey poem it is. Not a whole lot to say other than praise, but I'll see what I can do.

RAGDOLL

The world snuck up on me. Amazing first line. Seriously.

It hollowed out the eye pits,
poked in glass balls. Sliced the tongue at the root.
Each tooth slouched in a black velvet case.

Hair plucked and swapped with brown string
in neat plaits. Cilia against the lungs
all shorn.

It sucked the brain out,
filled the skull with hundreds
of beads, which shake like a rainstorm. For some reason, I'm not liking "which shake a like a rainstorm." I'm just not connecting it. Maybe Bill can clue me in. Lol.

Cotton wool against the delicate little bones of the ear,
both wrists severed clean.
Slipped quietly into a food bag, and sealed,

the ugly mass of the heart. God, beautiful.

*

Really interesting shift here. I like how it goes from poetry to well, what could be seen as prose. The beginning of a narrative - aka, the beginning of the new ragdoll life.

“Ragdoll, ragdoll,” they say, “you have the same expression in every photograph. A straight knitted line for a grin, a frown, a gasp of surprise.”

A boy changes my dungarees for a cream lace dress.

“You look beautiful,” he says.

In bed he pulls me close.

“Don’t listen to what they say,” he whispers softly, “They don’t know you like I do. Come here. Come here.”

I say nothing. He gathers me to his side in a loose bundle and falls asleep.

A tiny bird thrashes against my throat in the dark. Amazing...

Lol. I wish I could give you a little bit more criticism, but all I seem to be able to muster is praise. Really beautiful stuff, Sofey. I mean, seriously... This is probably my favorite poem that I have seen from you. By that last line, my heart just ached with the weight of restraint.

[lemonthief]

Thanks for reading and the comments, guys. Much appreciated as always.