"Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary." ~Kahlil Gibran

Thursday, May 26, 2011

I HAVE HAD TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH MY FACE by Diane Wakoski

Diane Wakoski's poem " I Have Had To Learn To Live With My Face" is full of overwhelming rage. I was drawn to it because it made an emotional impression on me. There is so much anger, bitterness, pain, envy and betrayal by others and herself. The word "betrayal" appears several times:
"My face has betrayed me again" is such a powerful sad statement and it's later on enhanced:

"My face
that my friends tell me is so full of character;
my face
I have hated for so many years;"

I guess the poem made such an impact because of its relevance for a lot of women especially nowadays in a society that emphasizes the physical aspect and a certain type of beauty overlooking the essential values.

"my face that I wish you could bruise and batter
and destroy, napalm it, throw acid in it,
so that I might have another
or be rid of it at last."
This statement constitutes the pinnacle of self-hate and self-anger. It's strident and of overwhelming intensity.
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1 comment:

  1. tlMay 27, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    Yes--though not only rage... a lot of issues suggested in this rather long poem--about the self in realtion to itself, the other, the world...also some rater striking images just after the ones you quoted...I wonder, is there anthing that takes us beyond this rage "against the dying of the light," to quote (and misapply)as Dylan Thomas? A comparison to Waldman's "Makeup on Empty Space" mght be fruitful....BTW--where did you find this poem, as it doesn't seem to be on any of the usual sites... ?

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