Posted on by Chatty Owl

THERE ARE NO RULES IN WAR

I remember the green-patterned fabric
of the smoke-enhanced sofa
that we used to spend hours on
in the most horizontal position possible,
and how you told me to ignore
the sound of the pocket watch you had,
as it ticked from seven to eight to nine,
and I knew it’s that time now,
when my face will be buried
in those red-stitched flowers of a thick quilt.
It was like waiting for a permission
to tear the wrapping
off the present
just to find out
it’s not what you’ve wished for.
My mind is good at keeping
little unimportant details about the past.
I remember a frayed label on your black sweatshirt,
and it was the only piece of clothing
that witnessed me going
into a vertical position after a very long time.
You imprinted a permanent habit in me
to always look at men’s shoes,
because you told me
that is the only thing that intimidates them.
Especially,
if they are looking at you
and craving sex.

It was such a good tactic of defense,
I think I knew all shoes in my city.

– Chatty Owl –

72 Replies to “THERE ARE NO RULES IN WAR”

  1. Throughout this piece, she seems muffled and stifled… Even picks up a habit of always looking down… Even if for shoes .. until the end… The past tense indicates the turning over of a new leaf … Hopefully looking higher and deeper

    Reply

    1. Hmmm. Somehow I have a feeling that you think I’m seeing myself as a sex object and I’m not happy about it. I enjoy this side of fictional reality 🙂

  3. Oh, but you don’t know my shoes = ) (…?). Anyway, they are black, like all that I wear, black military boots.

    Your words have something special, Owly.

    Much love, girl. Hugs.

    Reply

  5. It is truly hard for me to think of another creative mind that stirs my senses the way you do time and time again…you should be a world phenomena by now, Ms. Owl. Well, at least you are to me 🙂

    Reply

  7. Feel free to look, I could care less. I probably wouldn’t even notice a woman noticing my shoes, if she can’t look me straight in the eyes then she’s not worth my time!

    Reply

  9. i like this. But it is sad. To me, anyway. In an innocence lost by trust betrayed kind of way. Maybe just my naivety.

    Reply

    1. Not naivety at all. It is sad. The thing is, initially this poem had more words to it, a couple more stanzas that i decided to not include, because they were rather depressing and i thought it was unnecessary as it’s enough words here to hint on the sadness…

    2. Nah – sure it can – the mind is a wonderful thing….
      the emotional and memory areas, like the hippocampus and amygdala, which change the “taste” or “texture” of those imaginative explorations….yes I googled 😉 x

  11. What a great piece of writing. Many thanks for your comment on my poem. I am essentially new to WordPress and currently struggling to understand how to create the type of page that I would like. You have such a lot of comments. How do you attract so many plaudits so quickly? I jump for joy if anyone reads my ramblings! Is there a way to ‘advertise’ ones blog. Or is it just down to producing high quality work, and doing so for a long time, and hope that people subscribe? Sorry for all the questions. I hope you might reply. Shaun.

    Reply

    1. Well, if you are relatively new, you might get disappointed of how this thing works, as so very often the “popularity” is based not on how great you write, but how well you interact and get your name “out there”. Which is sad to think that that’s how the talent (if I can use that word) is accepted here. Of course, if the writings are pretty bad, no interaction will force followers to stay with you, so writing on at least average level helps 😉 haha.
      On that note, does it really matter what number of people hit “like”? As long as its genuine, Id rather have 3 honest people reading me than 357 hitting “like” without even reading, which Im sure is the case very often.
      Either way, I wish you all the success in writing and don’t be a stranger, its always nice to see new talents here on WP!

  12. Great work Ms Owl – Yep – You can tell a lot about a man by his shoes – I was always told this, but never realised until I was much older how true it was – but you’ll still catch me mostly in trainers outside work! Cheers J

    Reply

    1. Oh, but that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with a man, if he is wearing trainers. Its more of an observation to help determine personality. 😉
      Thanks though, Im smiling that you enjoyed reading this!

    2. …Never trust a man wearing Tan shoes – oh and hiding behind a beard – hmmm, and deffo never trust a man in trainers, especially the vintage ADIDAS kind 😉 Happy to make you smile ! Cheers J

    8. Haha – I hope that NO one I work with reads my blog ( and thats where the comment was aimed) – so hopefully it wont impact – but I already seem to have lost a few with changing my blog name – sadly! Cheers J

    1. Thats very true, about hands that is. It shows little details that help to understand whats behind the obvious exterior.
      *sigh*
      Sometimes i wonder, what are things that men are told to look for in a woman to determine all these little things. Ah? 🙂 x

    1. Oh dear, that’s a high praise for me. Thank you. Im glad thats the opinion you’ve got by reading my scattered words. And dont be so harsh on yourself 😉

  15. I like how this can demonstrate both power and vulnerability at the same time. How an uneven relationship can make us flit back and forth between the two.

    Reply

    1. You really think so? I was doubtful about certain lines in this poem, but then decided that the process of writing is more important than the result in this particular case 🙂 thank you for liking it!

    1. I try, Paul. But just so you know, these memories are all…fictional. So sometimes I exhaust my imagination to the limits of creating images in my head that never happened.

    2. fictional or not, your writing is powerful and evocative, very, very, very well done

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