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Joanna Bloody

by keithcaddy 

Posted: 19 May 2024
Word Count: 300
Summary: it is about the piano that we had when I was a child. It was a very dominant piece of equipment, that nobody really managed to play well. This poem explores and expresses the frustration of not being able to master a musical instrument when so many people do.


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Joanna Bloody

Sits in the corner with the broadest smile.
When nothing's funny, which unsettles, while
You dominate without a word, except those tattoed on your skin,
Go on - speak - say something, let the conversation begin.
But you never speak, just demand attention
And amuse yourself with condescension.
A black widow spider, you lured us to your web
and sucked out our spirit until all self-belief was dead.
and all the books upon your head that you never wrote and never read
are filled with beauty never said.

Mother tried to make you feel
A part of us; a family, real.
But she was clumsy, deliberate, slow,
your secrets weren't for her to know.
But she persevered and, on a bed,
she slept beside you 'til she was dead.
And when they took her from the room
All we could smell was your perfume.
you kept a grin through all that pain
And treated us with quiet disdain.

I blame myself for never quite
Overcoming your exacting spite.
I never made the effort to
Become intimate enough with you.
It was too demanding, too much work,
To try and tame your vicious smirk.
So I left you there to squat and sulk -
A vicious bitch; a pompous hulk.
And when we looked at you, you'd freeze
And leave us searching for the keys.

Joanna Bloody - you've got a nerve
To challenge the fate that you deserve.
With your Victorian values and two-tone smile,
And candle holders, hinged and vile.
And the worm that quietly infested your bones
Has robbed you of your arrogant tone.
They dragged you from the room one day,
And took you somewhere far away.
I'm glad they did what they had to do,
and beat the life clean out of you.
 






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Comments by other Members



roger at 11:17 on 21 July 2024  Report this post
I like this. I felt sad for the poor old piano and wonder how it felt as it was dragged away, prersumably to be broken to pioeces, after all those decades of being ignored. And, and it's a BIG and, you can't blame the poor piano when nobody took the time to learn how to get a tune out of it, when all it wanted was a chance to shine. Decades of imprisonment followed by execution without trial. Yes, sad sad

keithcaddy at 12:25 on 21 July 2024  Report this post
Many thanks Roger for you comment on Joanna Bloody. The narrative voice is very accusing of the piano but as you state, the real problem is not the piano but those who fail to learn to play it for whatever reasons. I was glad you realised it was about a piano. I didn't want to make it too obvious by hitting the reader in the face but I did share with someone who missed the fact that 'Joanna' was a piano and thought it was a a poem about a homocidal maniac! I think there were probably a lot of homes which had a piano in that no-one could really play. It's really about my own frustration at not learning to play the piano or any instrument well enough to just sit and play for a small or larger audience. Thanks for taking the time to send your comments.
Keith

roger at 13:17 on 21 July 2024  Report this post
Hi Keith,
 
‘Joanna’ was the clue! I guess that not taking the time to learn to play is justified by blaming the piano. That’s not justified, of course, but we people do tend to blame something else for our own failings. And you’re right about lots of homes used to house an unused piano – in the seventies people who wanted to create space by selling theirs found that they couldn’t give them away. In fact, entertainment was created by holding piano smashing competitions.
 
Anyway, you can write, so don’t stop doing it!

keithcaddy at 19:21 on 21 July 2024  Report this post
I had lessons for almost 5 years but my mum made me practice after school for 30 mins. everyday. I resented having to do that - it would have been more effective if I just got through my scales and some pieces - spending maybe 10 or 15 mins one day then maybe out of choice, more than 30 mins on another. I ended up resenting the strict practice time when I wanted to play footie. Mum had the wrong approach. We had a small 'front room' which only got used a few days of the year - like Christmas. As I tried to suggest in the poem, the dominance of one of those old fashion pianos outweighed the use anyone got from it. It didn't actually have the candle holders which I'd seen on other pianos- bit of poetic license there. 
thanks for your comments. I'll try to put some more poems out there. Do you write? If so point me in the direction of your material and I'll take a look.

roger at 20:20 on 21 July 2024  Report this post
Hi Keith,
 
You brought memories back – things like the ‘Christmas Room’ that stood immaculate but empty for around fifty weeks a year, or the upright piano, with or without the candle holders – only the comfortably off uncle had those, though I don’t remember ever seeing any candles in them. Don’t blame Mum. She was only doing what lots of mum’s did, because they wanted to see little Jimmy or whoever shine brighter than next door’s kids. She wanted to be proud.
 
What you tried to suggest worked very well – It was very clear.
 
Do I write? I’ve published a few books on KDP, and I was a member here way back – see http://writewords.org.uk/archive/35439.asp . I came back just about a week ago following a long period of health problems, followed by three years of researching what the Covid debacle was all about,  and have posted ‘Confused’ and ‘Elephants’. I do aim to post more stuff, but I have limitations so I’ll probably be erratic.
 
Yes, keep posting – it helps to see what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. A quick tip for what it’s worth – NEVER post something as soon as you’ve finished it. Wait a day or two then read it again slowly and with a critical eye – assuming you’re not a genius, you’ll be surprised how much you can improve it!

keithcaddy at 10:13 on 22 July 2024  Report this post
Good to hear your back writing after your health issues. Yes it's always good to live with a piece of writing before unleashing on the world too soon - without potential re-writes. I'm fairly new here myself and am still navigating, but will check out your stuff.

keithcaddy at 10:44 on 22 July 2024  Report this post
I have read your 'Confused' piece and the 'Elephants' piece. I thought the confused one was very interesting - i had to read it several times to get my own confusion sorted. I see it as a commentary on the gobbledygook language you get in documents from solicitors and lawyers. deliberately confusing. HMRC are the same. I asked them why my wife was predicted a higher state pension than me. I had a phone conversation and a written explanation - I'm still no further forward! That was a clever piece and not easy to construct despite its apparent simplicity. I think your ability to get inside the mind of an elephant is extraordinary too!

keep writing Roger

roger at 11:42 on 22 July 2024  Report this post
Hi Keith,

Tell me about it! Trying to get anything done in the public sector is close to impossible these days. And the gobbledegook is there for a reason - if you can't work out what it means, which you hardly ever can, you have to pay someone £500 an hour to explain it to you! If  you like either of the posts, a comment would be nice smiley. Don't worry, I won't fall out with you if you don't smiley

keithcaddy at 09:44 on 23 July 2024  Report this post
Will comment - when I've worked out how to do it. Talking of public sector gobbledygook - we have no water pressure today but to contact the water Co. Is virtually impossible - 30 min wait on phone - no email contact. Crazy. Kafka was right.

roger at 10:35 on 23 July 2024  Report this post
Yes, basically the problems with the Public sector is we haven't had a decent Government for decades.

LOL re posting - if you schrol down you see what looks like a blank page - go there and start typing. But don't worry about it, if you find a post that you want to comment on, you'll find the way. There are still things that I don't know how to do smiley


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