Thursday, March 3, 2011

I clocked my days




I clocked my days with long
pulls from the bottle, each swallow

another second spent on bleary-eyed
yesterdays. I recounted sad,

sad stories, fondling them
as prayer beads, and mumbled lines

of poetry I’d never live
to write. I liked the drunken measure.

Reveled in despair because
the one art I could master
was anguish.

© Ami Mattison


Flickr photo courtesy of simpologist


For G-Man's Friday Flash 55
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16 comments:

  1. G-ManMarch 4, 2011 at 12:01 AM

    Jesus I can hear a Hank Williams song playing in the backgrouhd....
    Marvelous 55 Ami Mattison.
    You've caught on very quickly, now I'm going to be expecting weekly brilliance from you every Friday!!
    Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

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  2. Brian MillerMarch 4, 2011 at 12:35 AM

    whew...like the prayer bead part...of course its that word fondle...a sad tune on your corner jukebox tonight, pass me a cold one though... *clink*

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  3. moondustwriterMarch 4, 2011 at 12:39 AM

    Wow - you are a wordsmith to be sure

    excellent 55

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  4. knot eyeMarch 4, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    "drunken measure"...wish I had thought of that

    I read "I am the master of anguish"

    Peace, hp

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  5. dustusMarch 4, 2011 at 6:26 AM

    From bleary-eyed, to repetition which reads similar to stuttering echos of alcoholism, reveals great suffering—leading to artistic creation. Also, "drunken measure" is a great double entendre given the context placement of the phrase.

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  6. Ami MattisonMarch 4, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Thanks, y'all.

    HP and Adam, you're making me feel pretty good about "drunken measure." I spent a ridiculous amount of time debating those two words. ;)

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  7. Alice AudreyMarch 4, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    It's a hard life. You've captured it beautifully.

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  8. AustinMarch 4, 2011 at 10:54 AM

    What a cool clock & a great write.

    Rockets and Wings is my 55 this week.

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  9. AnonymousMarch 4, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    Spin this one between "Blue Christmas" and 'If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)." Everybody sing the blues sometime. - B

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  10. Jannie FunsterMarch 4, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    Wow. Drunken measure, not at all a sunken treasure.

    Stunning 55. I just love how in so few words so much can be said.

    xo

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  11. Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis HallMarch 4, 2011 at 2:49 PM

    fancy and poetic 55..

    enjoy your muses, keep writing.
    :)

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  12. BubbaMarch 4, 2011 at 4:52 PM

    That's one cool-ass clock, with the additional zodiac movement on it!

    (I'm a jack of all trades, master of none - not even anguish! LOL!)

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  13. Monkey ManMarch 4, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    Amazing. The clock and your work. You really allow us to build a mental picture. Great 55.

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  14. KavitaMarch 4, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    Whooaa! A tight read there! Tough memories and days of blaahh make us real masters of a certain something indeed...

    Well said in 55, my friend!

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  15. Doctor FTSEMarch 5, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    No harm to a poet to master anguish. Well written 55.

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  16. Shari SmothersMarch 8, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    Great poem! A sad picture you've painted with deft strokes of your artisan pen. Well said.

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