Vox Populi
A curated webspace for Poetry, Politics, and Nature with over 6,000,000 visitors since 2014 and over 9,000 archived posts.
Deborah Bogen: Sisters
I’m the last sister standing — but tonight I mean to lie down, to practice being in the box. Tonight, I want to move my mind around my sisters’ girlish bodies and find out what it’s like to be in there. With them. Boxed up. Put away.
Tonight I will surrender this earthy pulse. I will accept their stagnant blood as mine — unclenching my fist and letting go of memory’s balloon. Dear body, is it possible to prepare? To shutter my heart and stop looking at the world?
Deborah Bogen’s books include In Case of Sudden Free Fall (Jacar, 2018).
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Stunning. Layers of feelibg, implication – sigh…
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It would take a book to explain what having them was about – I was first the middle sister, then the older, then the last – and all before age 14. A journey. I miss them but find loyalties to present time family and friends does a lot to mitigate grief. Still, there is no replacing your first best friend. I think poetry and politics both give us new sisters. What do you think? Deb
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Barbara – to answer that would take a book – in my case, I was at first the middle sister, then the older sister, then the only sister – a progression that was complete by the time I was 14 – so it was a journey. I still miss them, but dealing with grief seems to be best regulated by developing ties and loyalty in real time – present tense people with whom to share. Still – replacing your first best friend – that’s not really doable. I do feel poetry offers us sisters – what do you think?
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Deborah, thank you for your courage. Please follow up and let us know the answers to those questions. (This one of four sisters so looks forward to hearing more.)
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Louise – four sisters – that’s a real group. Wishing you well. deb
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So much said in so few words. I wonder what it feels like to have a sister.
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