NaPoWriMo 2012 – 30 Poems in 30 Days – Day Nine

Happy Monday! It is the ninth day of National Poetry Month! Yes! Today I will attempt to write a persona poem per today’s prompt. It’s a piece where the poet writes in the voice of another person. Ideally the poem should resemble a dramatic monologue. As a former actress, I think I can do this. The person I’ve picked is my sister Angela who was a stillborn baby. I love her and miss her each day. Here is:

Angelica’s Angst

Your doubts about me are correct. The stories you’ve been told are all lies.

Stillborn? Really? Is that the best they could come up with?

Listen closely. I was NOT a stillborn baby.

Nope.

That was the cleaned up version. A story to cover the lies.

So what’s the truth? Hmm, can you handle the truth?

Yes, I’m privy to your Hollywood sayings that become iconic catch phrases.

I am not dead honey. I am very much alive.

When you giggle, I live.

When you give someone the side-eye, I am breathing.

Yes, I know your colorful slang too.

Oh, yeah, well I guess I am side-stepping the truth.

The truth.

Reality.

You really want to know what happened don’t you?

What difference would it make?

Would it bring me back?

Would we be able to do each other’s make-up and rag on guys?

Would we miraculously merge into best friend’s overnight just because I appeared?

Would we?

Why must you know everything?

Okay, here it is.

Our mother ravaged her body with toxic substances and as a result I was ravaged with toxic substances.

I lived but for a short time, but my little body could not withstand all of those chemicals so I died.

Happy now?

Does knowing this give you any satisfaction Miss “I Have To Know Everything?”

Okay, let me stop being so mean.

It’s not you I am mad at.

I am upset because I didn’t even get the chance to…

I should be over this by now, but I’m not!

I wanted to be a sister, not a memory.

I’m not even really a memory for you am I?

You say you love me, but I know you only say that because of pity.

You feel sorry for me that I didn’t live.

I feel your guilt sometimes too. You wonder why you escaped the chemicals and I didn’t.

You wonder what I look like, what I sound like.

You cry in your sleep sometimes missing a person you never knew.

I see this and I try to comfort you.

Yes, it was me that day.

I sat on your bed as you slept.

I know you felt the weight of me.

I looked at my sister drooling and hogging the bed.

You were probably dreaming a colorful dream and I interrupted it.

I wouldn’t let you wake up. That is against the rules. But I know you felt me.

I felt you too.

I am there always.

Always there.

I am.

Always.

There.

For more delicious servings of poetry this month, please visit these bloggers as they are also participating in NaPoWriMo!

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