October 2005 Theme ~ "Portrait of a Lady"



Our contest assignment for October was to look carefully at the above picture, entitled "Portrait of a Lady", and then to write a poem about what we believed this lady might actually be thinking.

Here are the top three poems, and all others are on the following pages. Thanks to all of our wonderful poets, and to everyone who cared enough to read our works and vote in our contest.

Congratulations to our October winners!



PORTRAIT OF A (REAL) LADY
(what she's really thinking!)

"Dear Lord, if I have to sit here like this
For one more minute, I feel I'll scream!
This silly smile pasted across my face
Makes me feel as though I'm in a dream.

This stiff lace is scratching my delicate skin,
My corset's so tight I can't get my breath,
And oh my, these layers of heavy brocade
And velvet could nearly crush me to death!

I can't move a muscle, I can't even twitch,
Or scratch the itch that's tickling my nose...
Oh, I'll be so glad when this portrait's done
And I can get out of these dreadful clothes!"

© 2005 ~ Grandma Lyn





PORTRAIT OF A LADY (Things That I Hide)

Trapped in my treasures so refined
you'd think that I'd never had strife
smiling for the cameras one more time
I look around at my life.

Tradition, proprieties, charm school and grace
things that my portrait displays
a woman ashamed of the lies she has lied
None of that can you see in her face.

All of the outside, the true facade
conflicts with the person inside
fears and doubts when the paint comes off
these are the things that I hide.

True grace is just fiction underneath my false front
but it's something I'm desperate to find
To be free to search for what matters the most
Why, there's a whole world that's inside.

© 2005 ~ Brisa





PORTRAIT OF A LADY

Look into my eyes
And tell me what you see
Can you see the truth inside?
Do you see the real me?

My outward self is only a shell
You see what I’m willing to share
My heart and soul are locked up tight
Release them, why would you care?

This person you see
Standing right where I’m at
Is not who you think
But then aren’t we all like that?

© 2005 ~ Jeri Anderson (Windstorm)