I can hardly believe
the
way
I
unraveled and knitted
again to
envy—
to
speak to
her
face to face.
It was
unmistakable.
She
wanted me to feel the
push and shove, the toehold.
Yes, I said.
~ An erasure of page 13 in Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale
8 thoughts on "I can hardly believe"
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Brilliant, just, absolutely brilliant.
.my favorite of the Atwoods so far. So multi-meta it has such crisp clarity of the found and still has the liminal and deeper shading that makes it quiver into darker and lighter meaning.
The last four lines completely take my breath.
Thank you Coleman!
Another incredible erasure poem! I was delighted when I saw your poem come up this morning. I especially love “She
wanted me to feel the
push and shove, the toehold.
Yes, I said.”
Amazing!
Thanks so much, H.A.
yessss: “push and shove, the/toehold.”
You are doing up Margaret proud, and we get the great benefit!
I love this. It very much gives me Michaelangelo seeing that statue inside the stone. Inlove the short confident line “It was
unmistakable.”
The last four lines are especially amazing. You are a magician, Karen!