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Hyphenated

by Jojovits1 

Posted: 12 March 2016
Word Count: 106
Summary: For this weeks flash


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I was named for George and Ann
my grandfather and aunt
on my mother’s side.
They sit adjacent,
separated by generations
and a hyphen.
 
The hyphen is important.
It cuts and divides me
as age and time did them;
Allows me to be
two people at once.
It connects and confuses.
 
Jo-Ann is professional.
Jo-Ann is responsible.
She pays the bills,
does the housework,
schedules meetings in
her work diary.
 
Jo is down the pub with her mates.
Jo believes in witches and faeries.
She is funny, passionate,
creative, loyal.
She names her appliances
and cries at adverts.
 
My hyphen joins them.
In me, as one.






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Comments by other Members



V`yonne at 10:41 on 13 March 2016  Report this post
Maybe at the end Jo and Ann -- I am the hyphen.  ?

I loved that. Great idea of the personalities joined by a hyphen smiley

Jojovits1 at 10:43 on 13 March 2016  Report this post
I like that! thanks Oonah 😁

Bazz at 14:21 on 13 March 2016  Report this post
Hi Jo, lovely mediatation on a name here. As Oonah says, great idea of two personalities connected through a name. Every name really is a unique little story, isn't it...?

FelixBenson at 14:52 on 13 March 2016  Report this post
I like this angle you have explored a lot Jo. I was supposed to be hypenated originally (Kirsty-Marie), but my parents must have changed their mind or it didn't stick, and I have often thought how differently I would feel about my name is I was. This poems makes me think about the sides we all have to our personalities - how much is genetic or where we appear in the order of siblings, and how much is family lore based on names. We've all been told, you're just like so-and-so and it all gets absorbed and helps us make up the way we see ourselves.

I like the two sides you showed, and especially Jo who:

She names her appliances
and cries at adverts.

Thought-provoking stuff! Thanks for posting.

crowspark at 20:59 on 17 March 2016  Report this post
An inspired take on the challenge. A poetic exploration that was just waiting to hit the page, or so it seems to me.

Lovely last lines,

My hyphen joins them.
In me, as one.


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