The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Trudger
Heavy burdens of life lived loudly
She would like to carry proudly
Truth is stamped soul-deep, and down
Under lines of chalky frown
Purse is German, dress is French
Shoes Italian, teeth are clenched
Shamed by family, maimed by men
Trudging toward new men again
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Image courtesy of Bored Panda, shared by permission with Imaginary Garden With Real Toads.
Thanks to Hannah at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, we learned about salt flats today. They are called “the world’s largest mirrors,” and you can read more about them, as well as see more examples of the Salt Flats, HERE. This woman, dressed up and traversing the salt flat, struck me as lonely and careworn.
The couplets came naturally, and when I read about the iambs and other rhythms at dverse poets, I realized that I had, indeed, come up with a poem that displayed the rhythm (I think) of the trochee, which is the mirror sister of the iamb. TA da TA da… anyway, I’m posting it and am very happy that I was able to fulfill a form prompt.
Peace, Amy Barlow Liberatore (a name that, when pronounced correctly, also employs trochee!)
Sharp Little Pencil 
Kerry O'Connor
Phew!! This is hard-hitting, Amy. Your form really gives it that extra punch too. I loved the 3rd stanza for its balance and wit.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you so much, Kerry. The form ended up simply TA-da-ing its way out of me, that trochee monster lurking in the back of my brain, saying, “You’re doing a form with no effort. Keep the vibe going.” So glad you liked this, Amy
Sherry Blue Sky
Wowzers! Not just a stellar poem, and an insightful story, but in rhyme and meter. Well done, kiddo!!!!!! Loved it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Like I told Kerry, I wasn’t aware I was writing a trochee; it simply came out that way! I was so fond of the image, too… Thanks! Amy
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
Wonderful poetry, you captured the loneliness in the picture perfectly.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Bjorn. Off to see your blog now! Amy
hedgewitch
You’ve managed to express a complete life in very few words–and make us see what you saw in that lonely figure. I especially like the phrase ‘life lived loudly.’
Too bad about the idiot commenter. The internet seems more filled with agitated trolls these days than ever.
Sharp Little Pencil
I dispatched him to the obscurity he so richly deserves: My Spam bin! He finally gave up.
Thanks for your appreciation of this poem. I really loved writing it… you know how some poems make you smile as you scribble? That was this one, for me, and yet I was writing about a sad life… go figure. Thanks, Hedge! Amy
Lisa A.Williams
“Truth is stamped soul deep…” love this!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Lisa. Now on to your blog! Amy
Hannah Gosselin
I just love the persona you gave this woman…this is my favorite part,
“Purse is German, dress is French
Shoes Italian, teeth are clenched”
I love the concise, list-y feeling of it.
So, yeah, a great topic, too…one that calls for a close look in the mirror, I think.
Thank you for writing, Amy!!
Sharp Little Pencil
Hannah, I can’t wait to see what you came up with.
You know, that stanza was my favorite, like an inventory of her life. Amy
El Guapo
Sounds like a miserable cycle.
The rhythm does a great job of emphasizing the trudge!
Sharp Little Pencil
Didn’t think of it in those terms, Guapo, but you’re right. When you walk, even trudge, there is a rhythm to it. Very perceptive, my friend! Amy
Mary
Wow, trudging toward new men again! Sigh. For so many this is, unfortunately, the pattern. I have known people like that.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, Mary… I was one of them, for too many years. Finally got it right with Lex! Thanks, Amy
siggiofmaine
Thanks for your interesting poem.
My favorite stanza::
“Truth is stamped soul-deep, and down
Under lines of chalky frown”
Intriguing and wonderful.
Peace,
Siggi
Sharp Little Pencil
Siggi, how nice of you to comment. Oh, your Gravatar looks just like our new kitty, Diva!
I wasn’t going for a specific rhythm when I started this one. It just spilled out that way. Thanks so much for your kind comments. Coming to your blog now, Amy
Gay Reiser Cannon
So sorry about your stalker – what a CREEEEP!
Your poem was really good. I like that you gave us the Trocheé example too. Well done! Thanks.
Sharp Little Pencil
Stalkers don’t get far with me. He’s in my Spam bin now, and finally gave up. Had to draw the line when he left comments attacking other bloggers. Take all the shots at me if you like – I’ve got my big-girl boots on. But no ugliness at my friends…
Thanks – I didn’t start out meaning to write a form. I rarely write them at all, but this one was determined to be a trochee! Go figure. Thanks, coming your way now, Amy
Grace
What a sad and tragic situation ~ The rhyming couplets are well done specially the last one:
Shamed by family, maimed by men
Trudging toward new men again
Wishing you happy weekend Amy ~
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Grace. I was once one of those women, and it really was a trudge… Happy weekend back atcha! Amy
margaretbednar
shamed and maimed, teeth clenched (chin up!) she will persevere (especially with a soul-filling place like that to “regroup”)
Sharp Little Pencil
You approach this poem with optimism, Margaret, and I love that! Amy
kaykuala
You managed the d’Verse prompt very well Amelita! And your name relates to trochee! I’m all knots on that prompt.
And the trudgee never giving up! That’s life! Get up to face the world,good or bad. Life is what we make of them. Great thoughts Ma’am!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, I love your wordplay on the trochee/trudgee. You crack me up. But your assessment of the poem, the nature of life, is right on. Thanks! Amelita
Snakypoet (Rosemary Nissen-Wade)
Very effective piece of portraiture.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Rosemary. Off to see your blog now! Amy
Kay, Alberta, Canada
Ow, that last line says it all. And why we do it, I often wonder. Today is one of those days when I wondered again. LOL
Well done, Amy!
K
Sharp Little Pencil
Kay, I trudged from one to the next for years until I discovered the secret: Stay still, do your good work, and let love catch up to you. Lex caught up to me in church… we often say, “What the hell was THAT all about?!” ha ha Amy
Cressida de Nova
A sad commentary on a lonely life…well captured Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Yes, lonely for sure. Thanks for an insightful comment, Cressida. Heading to your blog now… Amy
I HAVE A VOICE
loved this! wonderful !
himanirawatnayal
I really like this… chalky frown…solitary put in words, Lovely write.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much for your kind words. That phrase literally dropped out of thin air! Do you have a blog? Pls. leave your URL for me next time! Peace, Amy
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
I have known women like this…It makes me so sad. Wonderful words for the image
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Susie, I was one of those women. Perhaps that’s why I could get to the core of her life so easily: it could have been me. Peace, Amy
oldegg
I think walking in the vast shallow salt flats is both comforting, inspiring and little bit scary. You don’t get out of your depth, the water is generally warm, it is good for musing but when you turn to look back to shore you find you have half a mile to cover with the tide coming in and not a soul in sight.
Sharp Little Pencil
Robin, I’ve never been on the salt flats, so I thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think I’d be too chicken, just like I don’t walk on the icy lakes here, no matter how many ice fishers I see with their little cabins on the expanse… Thanks! Amy
coalblack
What a contrast between her accoutrements and her inner self. Poor thing. 😦
Sharp Little Pencil
It’s so often that way for women, don’t you think? We wear our confidence or our sorrow on the outside when there’s something deeper within, even if it’s plain old regret… Thanks, hon. A
LaTonya
Girl, get off my toes. My old toes, anyway. Love where you took this.
Sharp Little Pencil
Ha, I knew you would get this woman. My old toes, too, and yeah, what are we, slow-dancing?! Thanks, LaTonya! Amy
Patricia A. McGoldrick
I especially like the emphasis with using that rhythm in the last two stanzas. Trudger in your title is so effective! 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
I was thinking about the drudgery of such a walk, when “trudge” came to mind. Connections and synapses…. Thanks so much, Patricia! Amy
Sara v
Amy, trudge is such a wonderful word–so burdened with emotion, your meter even feels heavy, like tired footfalls–excellent poem and perfect ending!