The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poem Thread, 10/9/07

[BlueIris]

"Norma Jeane: The Deer"

There are no antlers. The deer is a doe
lashed to the hood, its head slung sideways
over a fender. The woman covers her eyes
to hide how wind cannot keep sorrow
to itself but lifts and gently lets go
the light-tipped hairs over and over. Crazy
thing—a hoof moves. Spreading her fingers she sees
one ear flicker, a nostril twitch. Oh!

she whispers, it's still alive. And whispers
again, please stop. He is her first husband.
She is not yet Marilyn Monroe. The deer's
blood clots to a dim shine on the wound.
Save it, she pleads. Too late. He shifts gears,
speeds on toward the lights of the brilliant world.

—Joan Swift

[ThomCat]

1. I wonder

if this is based on an actual story from Marilyn Monroe's life, or if she's just using MM as a character.

This poem would work very well without MM, which is why I'm wondering about this.

[BlueIris]

2. Dunno. She's fictionalized the incident whether it's actualized or imagined, though.

As she wasn't there, either because it never happened or because it did and she didn't witness it, Marilyn is effectively a persona in this piece.

[BlueIris]

3. Kick.

[BlueIris]

4. Kick.

[BlueIris]

5. Kick.

[midnight]

6. Blue Iris this this poem fills me with anguish . I have an apple tree in

my backyard and the deer run accross a two lane road to get to it, and sometimes are struck by cars. Sometimes I come home late at night, and they just look up at me and then go back to eating.

[BlueIris]

7. We have deer on our property, too.

A mother who has twin fawns every year (as many deers do).

Not really what the poem focuses on, but—drive safe, everyone.