Change, or: Estrange

His doubts pained her 
profoundly / Why wouldn't he
believe in her words? Quarantined 
alone at home, with only her enchanting
descriptions of the world outside 
to raise his spirts, but still 
he wouldn't / Instead 
he compelled her,
insisting she
repeat after 
him, 
repeat his darkest 
thoughts
repeat sorrows and 
banalities / 
Why are you doing this? She
cried / Can you really no longer perceive 
beauty? She whimpered / Sprites, she 
promised him - 
are dancing 
with fallen leaves in the wind, 
and pixies -
are prancing 
daintily across the puddles / But 
he would 
have none of it / 
Nonsense, 
he said / Now, 
read: 
[She shuddered but attempted to oblige 
him] All is cold, all is dead, and the world 
has become sheer hell frozen, unfurled,
where fantasies, so naïve, once had twirled,
there is now / 
Her graceful body 
heaved 
as she 
retched 
his 
horrid words out / 
No! No! 
No! I won't 
do this / What do 
you mean you 
won't? 
I mean: I 
won't 
be your poem anymore!

68 thoughts on “Change, or: Estrange”

1. This has a great twist in the end. I so enjoyed the build up until the reveal, which we can all relate to.

   Thanks for joining in.

   1. Thank you very, very much for the lovely prompt, Grace!

      Sincerely,
      David

2. Clever…I like that ending…the subject rejects the poet…JIM

   1. Thanks, Jim!

      Yes, I was trying to keep the “reveal” to the very end 🙂

      Yours,
      David

3. Such an interesting take on the muse/poet relationship – and a wonderful ending – taking us back to the title. Bravo.

   1. Thank you, Peter! I’m so glad that you could relate 🙂

      -David

4. I laughed at the end, I hope that’s all right. It took me so much by surprise! Good one!

   1. no, that makes total sense! I was definitely going for a surprise finish 😀

      Thanks, Jane!

      1. Bingo, then!

5. Superbly woven into a great surprise at the end. Great job!❤️👏👏👏👏

   1. You are very kind, Cindy! Thank you.

      Shabbat shalom,
      David

      1. You are so welcome!! thanks much!

6. Our poems bear the burdens of our depressions…but thankfully they also have their own ways to kick us back to a different state. I’m smiling. (K)

   1. Thanks, Kerfe!

      Shabbat Shalom,
      David

7. This is incredibly potent! 💝💝

   1. I love how you use ‘potent’ as a compliment – it’s very empowering! 🙂

      Sincerely,
      David

8. lol I too wondered where this mythical tale was going so the twist was surprising!

   I thoroughly enjoyed the encounter with fae, these lines drew me …
   “Sprites, she
   promised him –
   are dancing
   with fallen leaves in the wind,
   and pixies –
   are prancing
   daintily across the puddles”

   if we can’t believe in magic and miracles we are only just surviving … we thrive by using our imaginations to create poetry! Stunner

   1. As somebody who loves mythical beings, I loved writing those lines 🙂

      Thanks, Kate!

      Yours,
      David

      1. your joy was evident!

9. The twist in the tail was superb! My poem too refuses to marry my dark thoughts! Love what you did here. ❤️

   1. ❤ Punam ❤

10. I like your imaginative use of the prompt here, embodying a poetic struggle between hope and despair. I’m pleased hope refuses to play ball at the end!

    1. 🙂

       Much love, Ingrid – thank you!

       -David

11. Wow David, this is very beautiful… I really love it 😊🌹

    1. Thank you so much – I really appreciate it ❤

12. Excellent!

    1. 💖