Three Poems (Madeline Griwac)

Three Poems

By: Madeline Griwac

Themes of Growing Up

A lesson that Janie learned

Was that growing up was hard

No matter how much she yearned

She could not even play with cards.

There were so many people

That told her no, no, no

She began to hate the steeple

Under which she was forced to go.

Waiting for her marriage,

She had little time to bide,

For in her union to Logan Killicks,

Her very first dream died.

She dreamed of a sweet and lovely thing

A marriage full of love

But with the promise of that ring

She was not able to bluff.

Reality came and stung like a bee

It smacked her with its hand,

For with that dead dream she could see

A plan that was less than grand.

A little girl she was no more

For she became a woman,

But as the dream was behind a door

She wondered if she could find a key again.

Themes of Freedom and Independence

Is there a single thing

That makes you feel alive?

Janie has that thing

And oh! It makes her heart sing

Even when the times are hard.

How does she feel when that thing she loves

Is forced under a cover?

She is forced to keep her glory hidden

By a not so loving lover.

This thing that resembles life

Can no longer flaunt its freedom

It diminishes her love and only augments strife.

Jody, acting like a demon,

Says for Janie to uncover her handsome hair,

Would be an act of treason

She is constricted

She is abused

Jodie’s hand is fastened tight

There is nothing she can do

His rules might ruin her life

On that day of doom,

When Jody’s life was taken,

Janie tried her best to mourn

But did it out of fear

She desired not to face the townsfolk woeful scorn

Her eyes did all the crying

But her soul could do no lying

She removed the soiled rag that held captive her glory

And as her hair cascaded down her neck

She knew she was not sorry

She heaved a sigh of relief

No longer felt oppressed

And as the flames licked higher, higher

So did the freedom surging inside her

Themes of Conflict

Janie said yes to Johnny Taylor

Nanny said no

Janie listened

Janie said yes to dreams of love

Fate said no

Janie had to listen

Janie said yes to Joe Starks

Logan Killicks tried to say no

Janie did not listen

Jody said yes, tie up Janie’s hair

Janie tried to say no

Jody did not listen

Jody said yes to anger

Janie said no

Jody was unable to listen

Death said yes to Jody Starks

Janie did not try to say no

Death would not have listened anyway

Tea Cake said yes to Janie

Janie hesitantly did not say no

Tea Cake of course listened

Janie said yes to marriage

Tea Cake said yes

Janie did not regret that she listened

Nature said yes to disaster

Janie tried to say no

Nature did not listen

Rabies said yes to Tea Cake

Janie tried to scream no

Rabies did not listen

When there were no more yes’ or no’s

And Janie thought she could listen no more

She realized

Her eyes were watching God.