"None of them ever breathed / a word about the fact that this humming, / aromatic, acid flashback, pungent, tingly / fingered world is acted out differently / for each one of us by the puppet theatre / of our senses."
— Gerstler, Amy (b. 1956)
Author
Work Title
Publisher
Orig. published in American Poetry Review
Date
2006
Metaphor
"None of them ever breathed / a word about the fact that this humming, / aromatic, acid flashback, pungent, tingly / fingered world is acted out differently / for each one of us by the puppet theatre / of our senses."
Metaphor in Context
[...] These days, I own five
sets of encyclopedia from various
eras. None of them ever breathed
a word about the fact that this humming,
aromatic, acid flashback, pungent, tingly
fingered world is acted out differently
for each one of us by the puppet theatre
of our senses. Some of us grow up doing
credible impressions of model citizens
(though sooner of later hairline
cracks appear in our façl;ades). The rest
get dubbed eccentrics, unnerved and undone
by other people's company, for which we
nevertheless pine. Curses, outbursts
and distracting chants simmer all day
long in the Crock-Pots of our heads.
Encyclopedias contain no helpful entries
on conducting life's business while the ruckus
in your skull keeps competing for your
attention [...]
(pp. 30-1, ll. 22-43)
sets of encyclopedia from various
eras. None of them ever breathed
a word about the fact that this humming,
aromatic, acid flashback, pungent, tingly
fingered world is acted out differently
for each one of us by the puppet theatre
of our senses. Some of us grow up doing
credible impressions of model citizens
(though sooner of later hairline
cracks appear in our façl;ades). The rest
get dubbed eccentrics, unnerved and undone
by other people's company, for which we
nevertheless pine. Curses, outbursts
and distracting chants simmer all day
long in the Crock-Pots of our heads.
Encyclopedias contain no helpful entries
on conducting life's business while the ruckus
in your skull keeps competing for your
attention [...]
(pp. 30-1, ll. 22-43)
Categories
Provenance
Reading the New York Times Book Review. See David Kirby's review of Gerstler's new book, Dearest Creatuer. November 8, 2009.
Citation
Gerstler, Amy. ""For My Niece Sidney, Age Six." The Best American Poetry. Eds. Billy Collins and David Lehman. Simon and Schuster, 2006. pp. 30-3. <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
11/11/2009
