The Doll...Part 1 of 6

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By Therisa Godwaldt

© 2011 Therisa Godwaldt

All rights Reserved

Stacey stood
Before the glass shelves
Barely moving a muscle.

Where Jane
Her older sister
Kept her valuable collection
Of porcelain dolls.

She had been warned
Numerous times
To never touch them.

But
Temptation kept her
Coming back
For one more touch.

“It’s not fair
Jane gets dolls
And I don’t”
Stacey thought to herself.

The Grandfather clock
Started to chime 4 pm
In the living room.

A panicky Stacey
Raced from Jane’s room
Into her own.

Changing back
Into her “male” self
Before she outed herself
To the family.

Stacey is
A 12 years old boy
Named Stuart.

Who'd been dressing up
For the past 3 years
Before realizing
He's a girl trapped
Inside a boy’s body.

Although
He hasn't tried Jane’s
Or his mom’s make-up
Yet.

Only
A matter of time
Before he does.

Normally
He put away
All his feminine clothing
Without any visible signs
To be seen.

Bought
Last summer
At a local thrift shop
On a friend's dare.

In his mad dash
To change back
A stray pair
Of navy blue nylons
Poked out
From the highboy dresser.

As Jane poked her head
Into his room
To see
Where he was
And doing what.

Since the house
Was totally quiet
Quite unusual for Stuart
Since he played
The Cure
24/7.

A quick scan of his room
Showed Stuart
Sitting on his bed.

Trying to understand
But growing frustrated
With the assigned math homework
Which he could not grasp
The principles behind
The trig questions.

As her eyes roam over
The rest of the bedroom
She saw the telltale nylons
But choose not to mention them
Yet.

Not quite sure
What to make of them
Wondering
If they had been taken
From her nylon drawer.

But wanted solid proof
First before a confrontation
As she left him
Alone.

Catching Jane’s disappearing head
Stuart let out
A sigh of relief.

Only to see
The toe of the nylons
Sticking out
Of their hiding spot.

“Oh God
Please pretty please
Don’t let Jane see
Those navy blue nylons”.

Silently
He pleaded.

Hoping for the best
Fearing the worse.

Knowing
Jane will use this
Against him
Like she always does.

Dejectedly
He replaced the nylons
Back into their hiding spot
Gently shutting
The dresser drawer.

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Comments

This format has me confused,

This format has me confused, it doesn't rhyme, and is set up like a series of stanzas.
Quick to read though.

It's free verse poetry

taggrrl's picture

Karen, my poetry is free verse, which means I don't use a rhyming scheme, to my verse, as you have noticed. I find too many poets force their lines of verse to rhyme that takes away from the poem, itself. Also, my free verse is heavily influenced, by my various learning disabilities and the way, I process the written language.

Perfection is, always, one step beyond, where my feet are.

Catch

laika's picture

When Stuart is
Dressing up
it's
Just Like Heaven
He sees his sister
and wonders
Why Can't I Be You?

I'm hoping
over the next 5 parts
Stacy finds some understanding
Her place in this world
~Veronica

.
We now return to our regular programming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTl00248Z48
.

Thank you, Veronica

taggrrl's picture

Wasn't expecting your little poem and the titles of two of The Cure's more popular songs, from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Mes. As Stacey/Stuart's future, it gets more supportive and inclusive, with Jane and the rest of the family.

Perfection is, always, one step beyond, where my feet are.

I managed to work 4 in there

laika's picture

If you include the comment's title. I looked thru my meager (6 cd's) Cure collection, and none of their earlier song titles really worked, except "Dressing up". I was surprised the Cure made such a successful switch from darker music to more fun stuff, and how much I liked KISS ME3 when it came out (unlike Psychedelic Furs, fer example, whose attempts to lighten up after those brilliantly sardonic first two albums never really worked me). Glad the story's gonna give your young heroine a break, and I like the clean free verse format...

And now I've put on HEAD ON THE DOOR. It's been a few months so I'm due for a Cure binge...
~hugs, V

.
We now return to our regular programming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTl00248Z48
.

Never the same, since Wild Mood Swings

taggrrl's picture

My first concert for The Cure was in support of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, called The Kiss tour, in 1987. Must admit their Wild Mood Swing cd disappointed me, with its happy and upbeat tone. Yes, I did saw them in support of that tour, as well. Have since moved on to symphonic metal groups, like Within Temptation, Nightwish, and Xander, to make a few of these groups, in this genre of music.My personal favourite song of The Cure is the most depressing song, they have written, From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea. As it deals with suicide, but more importantly, it's the melody of the tune that hooks me in.

Perfection is, always, one step beyond, where my feet are.

very good

I like the rhythm, the emotions being held slightly at a distance but so real.

Been there, done that ...

DogSig.png

Thank you, Dorothy

taggrrl's picture

Been a long time, since I have looked at this poem, prior to today. Only doing minor editing to break it up, into a format to fit here.

Perfection is, always, one step beyond, where my feet are.

Like your style...

One can feel
between the lines.

Sister, sister
can your heart feel
another sister
present.

It's not your stuff
she wants nor hides
it's to be
herself.

Hugs, Jessie
who hid under a bed
dreamt of things not in a house
of all boys.

Jessica E. Connors

Jessica Connors

High praise

taggrrl's picture

Thank you, Jessica, for your praise and poem. Will be posting part 2, Thursday.

Perfection is, always, one step beyond, where my feet are.