Thursday 31 January 2013

Love & Masochism



Fee-males, fee-lines,
he thought he ought
by now a lesson learned
as he felt the scratch from chin to eye,
yet still bewitched he yearned,
itched for the stealth of those
who ate his soul with lapping lick
slinked as they slyly stole his heart.

“Cats, cats, cats,
everywhere cats,
but then stepping
out from the crowd,
a single crab.”

And much to his surprise
he found fascination in her flapping flab
and grabbed lustily at her heaving thighs
as she sexily sidled up to him
and punched him meanly
clean between his eyes.
She grouched as he ouched
and yelped in pain,
moaned that he groaned,
punched him again and declared
if he wished to exist in her domain
he should irritate her not,
be grateful for what she gave-he got,
and he submissive for the want of her
discarded those cruel cats
whose pain made him purr,
knew true in his heart that he,
he did
prefer
her,
his sexy snapping brachyura.

 Anna :o]

What is this strange thing called love, that despite its potential to cause great pain, it brings out the masochist in us as we enter the uncertainty of it again and again in our search of a life partner or maybe a ‘just for now’ relationship?.

We profess love of our family and friends – but others interpretation of offered love can be suffocating, stifling, downright cruel.  Of course we cannot chose the family we are born into and may not like them very much at all and may teeter on the edge of near-dislike or dislike itself.

I guess we all have our own interpretation of what love is – is it a basic human need to be needed or is it a protective emotion that binds us together as a species, brings cohesiveness to our particular tribe and thus societal stability? If the latter – it is clearly not working.

Nevertheless, despite its potential to cause pain I am in love with love, love being in it – although I am not quite certain what it is. Can you love someone every minute of every day or do levels of love fluctuate? 

Looking at my handsome one now as he dozes on the settee, do I love him at this very moment in time, is there a passion of emotion there or do I view him (?)only as my chosen (and very likeable) partner? At this moment of time I would say the latter, yet he may wake and utter some words, do some deed and I will be overwhelmed with emotions that pleasure my mind and fill my chest to almost bursting point – and this I think is part of loving, love operates at many fluid levels/depths, love is societies binder - and indeed sometimes a bind…

As the Bishop said to the Actress “How do you interpret Love?”

Today’s post is the result of Isadora’s prompt post at Real Toads in which she asked us to write a post based on the Hamilton Cork's first lines – my chosen: “Cats, cats, cats, everywhere cats, but then stepping out from the crowd, a single crab."

18 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

I really admire your control of all the word and sound play, and how you changed it up in the final stanza. Your topic is one we can all relate too, I'm sure.

Friko said...

That’s a hard one to answer. Personally, I would not be able to tell you what ‘love’ is. It is so many things, the list is endless.

Love is also a big word, an umbrella word, for many different emotions. Being in love, or lust in that case, is the least of them.

Give me the words friendship, appreciation, esteem, affection, fondness, belonging, etc. etc. and I know what I’m talking about.

If you ever come up with a definition let me know.

Manzanita said...

If it's a cat, foil it
If it's alluding to a woman, spoil it
If it's a real crustacean, boil it

Susan said...

On the poem--Bravo! Youur phrasing pullud me foward, your story engaged. I do feel sorry for the uy who couldn't co-exist with either cat nor woman. He is stuck with the side-stepping indecisive crab.

On love--I am a romantic. I find the idea of falling in love again and again useful. I liked it especially when, with my soul mate, I fell in love again and over again for the entire 11 years that we partnered each other. He died at age 46, but I still enjoy that sensation every now and then when a memory delights me. Other layers of loving are more constant and reliable--but this romance with a partner is one that, I experienced, benefits from renewal.

my heart's love songs said...

ooooh! i LOVE this! how you brought forth so much from that sentence is mind boggling!

then there's your discussion of love, which i admit i have NO answers about except to say that i'm in the first healthy relationship of my life and i wouldn't want to give it up for anything!

finally, thank you SO much for the video confirming the origin of Hamilton Cork!

Anonymous said...

Wow - this one is very cool. Did you read the article about cats in the Times and their being such incredible predators - it's very interesting.

Wonderful sounds here and content too! k.

Unknown said...

Your poem is compelling reading, so image-filled, vivid. Your commentary just as interesting.

Susie Clevenger said...

My definition of love has seen many changes. It began wide eyed and has adjusted to one of less eye strain.

Hannah said...

Very nice, Anna!! I love the story and the characters that you created...they tell much of the relationship and their particular "love." Great write!!

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Thanks for your welcome comments folks.

Friko ~ Love is indeed an umbrella word for the gamut of pleasant emotions, and yet that physical sensation of love - a wonderful chest filling warmth that excites the brain – somehow stands it apart from friendship, etc. I don’t equate this sensation merely with the sexual act as I feel it – however briefly – when someone says or does something incredibly innocently beautiful and I may not even know them as a friend, etc.

When I say I love my husband in that he is my best friend and I have deep affection for him – do I still love him after lust has gone? Is love only that sensation (described) and the love that hides under the umbrella terms not love at all?

Don’t know either!

Manzanita ~ Love it! (There’s that word again!)

Susan ~ so sad to learn of the death of your soul mate – so young too.

I consider myself a romantic too (not the flowers and chocolate type) and much romance is acted out in my thoughts. It is true that our relationships are multi-layered and we fall in and out of this called love – even with the ones we love!

My hearts love songs ~ glad to hear that you are experiencing your first healthy relationship – may it continue and grow stronger.

Manicdaily – didn't read the Times article regarding cats and the pity is unless I subscribe – I can’t now.

Susie ~ very apt!

Thanks again folks

Anna :o]

Mary said...

Good morning, thanks for your visit to my 'spider' poem via Dave! You really have written some thoughtful words about love here. Your thoughts make sense. Love changes from moment to moment. It IS there always, but the 'form' of it changes...from loving, to in love, to passionate, to liking, to just viewing. I like the way you expressed it!!

Brian Miller said...

smiles...how do we understand love...i dont know that we ever do fully you know...but its there and...your notes at the end on your own love made me smile...i understand them greatly...

Marian said...

ooooh wow, i love your rhymes and slanty rhymes and how this just rollicks on, gathering momentum to the end. good one! :)

Isadora Gruye said...

YAY!!!! A boosh clip.....I love that you included my (secret) inspiration for the prompt.

The poem....it amazingly stuffed with sensuality and sting. LOVE LOVE LOVE how you used the prompt to take one of "hamilton corks" first lines and own it entirely. Well done and viva la

Dave King said...

A difficult subject nimbly tackled. You seem to have skipped round all the obvious pitfalls. A really accomplished piece.

ayala said...

Love is simple yet complicated. Love is never easy even if it seems that it is.

Brother Ollie said...

cool piece - musically good

Anonymous said...

love is a mysterious master. and yes some do enjoy the submission
to her.
i like the lyrical way you've written this poem.