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Poetry
Beauty Mark
By francoise
26 May 2008

Between the fore and the middle
I have a beauty mark,
a brown spot in a pink cradle
removed from the light.
If I spread out my fingers
I can see my secret
forgotten often and yet reminded
each time I slip on my ring
or wash each  crease and crinkle
of sunless skin.

It's a feeble little keepsake really,
not one part of it sparkles
as a gem handed down and tucked away.
It doesn't rest upon my chest,
it doesn't have the dark lines of a
tattoo,
its just an inanimate mark
on the map of my skin, unamed
undiscovered and in limbo,
floating inbetween
waves of hello and farewell.

I can make whatever I want of it
like the books I read
and the photo on the refridgerator,
or the endless beating of my heart that
on some nights won't let me sleep.

At once both a sign of something precious
and something irrevelent.
So much or so little
All that meaning I could or won't give.


Hi all

Its been a while since I posted anything and during this hiatus of mine I've noticed lots and lots of new people here! So hello to all of you.
I'm  not a particularly well oiled poetry making machine but I try to churn out a few when the inspiration is switched on. Hope you like it, critiscm and questions about this latest piece are more than welcome
.

Reviews

Written by francoise (129 comments posted) 26th May 2008
a case of inside out and upside down...nevermind. :)

Written by Josie (2847 comments posted) 26th May 2008
Hello. I think you've posted your poem in the author's space. then I wondered how you had a review without any hits. ha ha. Your beauty spot is your identification, but not so obvious as mine as I have two on my left cheek. The problem with them being on my cheek is that you have to be careful with the rays of the sun as they would be places where skin cancer can start. What an interesting topic for a poem!

Written by NathanRoberts (277 comments posted) 26th May 2008
I like the way the first line threw me...I'm thinking where's her fore and middle?? It seems like a strange place for a beauty mark, but so poetic that it's hidden by a ring. 
 
'its just an inanimate mark 
on the map of my skin, unamed  
undiscovered and in limbo, 
floating inbetween 
waves of hello and farewell.' 
 
Great lines! I felt the last two stanzas were a bit superfluous, you could have ended it on 'farewell'. 

Written by francoise (129 comments posted) 26th May 2008
thanks for the comments. 
Josie, thanks for your thoughts on this. I had never thought about the convenient location of my beauty mark now that you mention it. :) 
Nathan, I can see where you're coming from with regards to the last two stanzas. Perhaps if I swapped the stanzas around so that it does end quite literally with a 'farewell', it might sound better.  
But I'm so happy you liked that particular stanza.  

Written by shirley_keeldar (67 comments posted) 26th May 2008
I like the gentle tone of this, and the image of treasuring the small differences that make us unique. 
 
I agree with NR about the last two lines but overall a lovely poem, well done :grin  
 
 
L x
welcome back F !
Written by patterjack (1435 comments posted) 26th May 2008
and with such a grand return ! 
 
patterjack

Written by Brett (1001 comments posted) 28th May 2008
Such powerful poetry from such simple subject matter! 
 
Nathan has already quoted the lines that I found most effective. 
 
Really enjoyed this. 
 
Cheers

Written by francoise (129 comments posted) 28th May 2008
Thanks Brett and Shirley for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. :) 
 
PJ: :grin

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