Saturday, February 2, 2013

Magniloquence


Taken from http://youthvoices.net/sites/default/files/image/10913/apr/selfesteem.png, courtesy of The Internet, as usual. Image apparently depicts all the labeling and pressure put upon young girls in the media that leads to low self-esteem— the very things that the speaker of this poem is attempting to defy in her "magniloquence."
High time for some optimistic poetry, eh?

I don't like to boast. No, really, I don't. That's not just me being modest. I don't like boasting.

That being said, this assignment for Creative Writing Class was deemed a "boast poem," though I prefer to think of it as a "confidence poem." Excuse any arrogance that you may perceive while reading thisit's part of the prompt, I swear. As was the rhyme scheme. And the number of lines. And the Maya Angelou and King Lear allusions, though I was happy to put those in.

Magniloquence
(or, A Boast of Epic Proportions)

Have you met me? Have you looked into my eyes?
Have you seen the girl who every day will strip away disguise?
Underestimate me if you dare, though it wouldn't be wise—
I'm the girl who watches stars and sees no limit in the skies.

Have you met me? Have you listened to my song?
Can you hear the passion in my words that lasts my whole life long?
I'm the girl who's always muddling what's right and what is wrong,
Because evil isn't just what people deem “doesn't belong”.

Have you met me? Do you comprehend my mind?
Do you understand why I can never, ever be confined?
My imagination's strong enough to shake off any bind.
My alarming strength's a part of the power of humankind.

Have you met me? Do you recognize my soul?
Have you seen it burning brighter than the red embers of coal?
That's the love inside that hate will never bring under control.
That's the key that takes this sum of parts and brings about a whole.

Have you met me? Have you looked into my eyes?
I'm the girl who keeps on living as the world around her dies.
I will live, pray, sing, and laugh at gilded butterflies.
You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise.

2 comments:

  1. Well, this poem was... eerie. In a good way. As in, it was... not eerie, so that it was eerie. But it was eerie in the first place. But-- This isn't making any sense. Never mind.

    I liked the repetition; combined with the rhyme scheme, it made the poem flow really well... and be a bit eerier. Though I could still see the optimism. I can see where you and the whole teenage-experience come in to play here. Interesting.

    I didn't think it was /that/ pretentious... it almost sounded, instead... I don't know, pleading-ish? I would think of maybe your main character from "Fly Away" writing this.

    Well, nicely done!

    ~Hannah

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    1. Thanks for reading! I'm not entirely happy with this poem--something's a bit off about it that I can't quite place; maybe the "eeriness" you picked up on--but I'm glad you liked it! And I put "pretentious" on pretty much all of my posts, just in case someone takes them the wrong way...

      ~Amata

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