Precipice
Teetering on the rim
of crystal so thin
a butterfly’s wing could
send her tumbling back
down, down, down
into the glass carnival
Where distorted lens
meets bloodshot eye
Where feet lose footing,
sliding on the gloss
Where beating on the wall
can cut you to the bone
Where they can look in
but she is alone
trapped in prisms
of sunlight’s whim
Where is she’s not careful
she will be burned to an ashen memory
The limits are clear,
but not so the options
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For ABC Wednesday, the letter “P”; for We Write Poems, “Take it to the Limit,” and, as always, at Poets United, the home of so many wordsmiths, for Thursday Think Tank: Monsters. If you visit these blogs, either click on the “comments” button to access the work of plenty of amazing poets, or at ABC, simply click on a face! Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Roger Green
Love the last verse – the notion of endless possibilities has seldom resonated with me.
Sharp Little Pencil
Then I will wish you that notion. I know it’s true, Roger, and the best gift I could give you is that hope! Amy
Elephant Small
Often we’re not offered any options…
Sharp Little Pencil
And sometimes we have to stop and let the options catch up with us. It often happens when we least expect! Amy
pamelasayers
A surreal journey, Amy. Beautifully written.
Pamela
vivinfrance
There is a thread of assonance running through this which is delightful, as are the images your poem conjures up.
Sharp Little Pencil
Viv, I appreciate this – you pick out things a lot of folks don’t, including myself!! Amy
Isabel
great poem
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Isabel. Peace, Amy
Brenda
You captured me with your first stanza. Butterflies always draw me in. I like “where beating on the wall can cut you to the bone.” Ouch, and yeah.
Engaging write, Amy.
~Brenda
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Brenda. And thanks for the Wordle, finally posted it to your blog as well! A
bluejaymama
Nice Poem. Good writing and vocabulary you got. Would love you to visit my ABC Wednesday page here.
Debbie
Thank you so much for leaving this offering in the comment section at my blog. You have a special gift and calling. I loved the ending of this one!
Sheilagh Lee
Such a deep felt poem. Truly beautifully written.
Elizabeth
You manage to put it all so succinctly – yet again. x
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Elizabeth. Hopping over to your blog for a look now… A
Kim Nelson
How can such lovely images invoke such angst? You did it again, Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Kim. I’m really feeling good about writing these days, and your encouragement means so much to me. Amy
Mary
Wow, Amy, that is ONE strong ending to your strong poem!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you so much, Mary, I was kind of caught up in this one, but in a good way, you know? A
Paul Andrew Russell
Hi Amy,
I really like the way you put these lines together:
Where they can look in
but she is alone
trapped in prisms
of sunlight’s whim
It made me think of a snow globe, with giant eyes peering in at the person in there, with the sunlight glittering on the flakes floating around. Beautiful but sad. A lovely description.
I know what I’m trying to say but I’m not sure if I explained myself very well. I like this poem though, that’s what I mean. 🙂
Paul
Sharp Little Pencil
The snow globe is a wonderful image (except for the drowning in the water part!). I once wrote a poem, Snow-Globe Mind. If I can find it, I email it to you! Amy
Molokai Girl
I don’t know how you can so readily ‘crank’ out such deep, meaningful, grab you by the jugular prose. Amazing, really-awestruck even.
Now I am wondering about “Ring Around the Rosie”!
Mr. Walker
Amy, such a great working of the idea of crystal and glass, playing with fragility, distortion, and the fracturing and focusing of light. I love the turn that happens in that last stanza, going from limits to options; you caught me off guard beautifully.
Richard
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Richard. The “distortion” you mentioned is often experienced by me when I’m in a manic phase; fortunately, I know how to manage that now. Breathing deeply has a lot to do with it.
And the last stanza wrote itself! Talk about the muse taking the reins, right? Thanks, Amy
pmwanken
I love how so many of the references are to glass…so fragile. Really a great poem, Amy!
Here’s mine from yesterday…still working on today’s.
~Paula
(P.S. 3rd stanza…second to last line…should “is” be “if”?)
Sharp Little Pencil
THank you, Paula. Sometimes, during a manic high, the whole world looks like I’m viewing it through wavy glass; that’s where the seed was. Amy
Renee
A really well done piece! Sometimes life is like this for many of us at one time or another and making difficult choices when you have limited options can bring you ‘literally’ to the edge. I like this.
Sharp Little Pencil
The trick is in keeping balance. I’m manic depressive and have PTSD, and it’s a daily struggle for me, no matter how well I’m cared for by doctors. For others, it’s a different challenge or burden. Tried to keep it open enough that many could relate, and by your response, I think I achieved that. Thanks for your visit, Renee. Amy
contemplativemoorings
Niiiiiiiice…that’s some sharp writing 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much! I’m going to see what’s up in your blogosphere now! A
Irene
A feeling of limits, a feeling of teetering.
Sharp Little Pencil
That’s exactly it, Irene, thank you for “getting it”! The limit is not only keeping your balance, but what happens when you fall in and cannot get out… Amy
Jae Rose
The opening verse and particularly ‘Glass carnival’ and the idea of being watched and trapped brought to mind ‘The Bell Jar’..how easy it is to get swallowed up..banging on doors that nobody hears..how we in someway have a choice not to return to that suffocation but on the other hand perhaps can’t avoid it..nobody remembers you when you step off the precipice into that place..always best to be on the outside however close you get to the edge..hmm great write..certainly did ring my bell..Jae
Sharp Little Pencil
You know, I wasn’t thinking Bell Jar and now it’s so obvious to me… thank you for that reminder, Jae.
I wish that, when I am on that rim, it would make that ringing noise (like when you run your finger all the way around the rim), kind of like belling the cat, to let others know I’m falling, anyone is falling. And when I see someone inside, I always try to find, you know, a ladder, some way to help them out… because I’ve been there. Thank you for a thoughtful post, Jae. Amy
beespoetry
That’s awesome. It’s definitely surreal but at the same time I get such a clear picture in my head- kind of like an Escher, but all bright light and razor-sharp edges (have you seen the photos of the crystal caves in possibly Mexico? like that, but scary beautiful instead of just amazing) and this tiny life in the centre afraid to move a muscle in case the whole thing collapses around her and slices her apart, or someone comes along and crushes the whole thing.
Reminds me of those entomologist glass things, where they keep their dead specimens mounted on pins.
“And I have known the eyes already, known them all-
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?
And how should I presume?” -The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
Sharp Little Pencil
Bee, I swear, you think about my poetry more than I do! I have a real love for the Eliot poem, even though it borders on the gruesome there. I had a butterfly once, pinned up, and I was so naive I thought they just picked up dead ones and mounted them. Had no idea they killed the prized, gorgeous butterflies. But your comments reach in and grab the sadness of the poem. Very insightful, Bee, thank you. Amy
M.A.S
The images here are so fantastic! I absolutely love the first stanza. The simple “down, down, down” anchored between strong, kinetic visuals is great! This is one of my favorites from you.
Yay!
Mike
Sharp Little Pencil
Michael, thank you so much for this. I’m loving your postings of late as well. You know, now that I think of it, the “down, down, down,” reminds me a bit of the credits from “Mad Men”! Amy
Dina
I like especially your closing line, a strong conclusion.
Shalom to you.
Sharp Little Pencil
And to you, Dina. Thank you for visiting! Amy
Blossom Dreams
A stunning poem Amy!! I can relate to your beautiful words oh, so well! xx
Sharp Little Pencil
I am so flattered that you have delved into my catalog like this, Blossom! Thank you for all the kind words. Peace, Amy