Theme: A love, once loved, forever loved.
Title: Marissa's Ode
Date: 10/13/01
Author: Randy Dong



Oh
mary,merry go round on the melody
tentative, watching your step
she's cautious just like me
but i envy,
with different feelings than pulling tricks on the enemy
don't feel empty
but light as a bird that flies through the wind
the skies pretend they've invented
yet I remain cemented.

In the corner of my eye
awash in moonlight dancing pretty
she does move with perfection
and slender
so she slides inside her secrecy
worried, being alone
I know to trick my spirit into returning home.

A mind is playing in the silence bathed
amongst the finest thoughts
she swims in beauty, her crimson smile
perched for the last gasp
alas she's crisp with her solemn columns and whisps of hair.

I would whisper fair secrets into her ear
how my mellow nothingness caress' the essence of a song
withering as terrain after a lashing from winters rain.

I've become mezmerized by her speaking sounds
burst and shouts she mouthes
making glee, inbetween empty places and dreams
she's cursive writing with curves placed to be inviting
combined with her ever so tidy touch.

oh how she tip toes slow to meet the edge of grace
while I make space on concrete-

waiting-
watching-
wanting to be a part of her routine
as she tenders to aspects that have yet passed her by.
see, she sweetly sashes silly in little soirees
that's right,
she moves in harmony to my delight
gloats and floats, (e)motions and beckons

in reality, I want to reach out and touch, speak out with such, but I've already missed by so much.
never the less, there is next year.

ps itsgettinghardformetodialnumbers,sorry.

if i could write like this i would quit my day (night) job...your descriptions are amazing...i am so glad you have come this way, not only for the purely selfish reasons (there is much i can learn from you) but also because i love to read your work...it is an amazing thing, the places you take my mind :D

this was like every unspoken, sputtered sentence that never came out of my mind has somehow vicariously drifted into your hand and wove a painting with verdant streams of evaporated rivulets of pure, unadulterated, raw emotion. this is beyond any ability of mine, and if sundry is envious, it has to be the best poem on the site.

whoever moved this into the showcase....good move. much deserved and oh my god how brilliant.... i've never felt so much emotion and passion from a single poem like this one had affected me.

good write and i'm really going to be looking out for your pieces from now on :flowers:

So, I figured I might as well give some insight to this poem, much lies before and beneath it. This is for anyone who cares because the following things i will ramble about let you know the person this was written for a little better. So if you really enjoyed the poem, here is more. This is not so much a follow up, but a wordy day in the past that we shared, or a few lumped together. enjoy.

First some poetry:

Upper lip markings move
together with the mouth
when upon it's speaking banter
entering the door from sunlight
athleticism shows triangle
golden silhoutte framework
petite and compact like a capri
french lady ciggarette
slimming package and many facets
rolled into one
then tight pressed
into color matching outfits.

And when she stops and smiles the flock of feather sings the spring jingle.

Lets off the aromatic
sweet little musty smells
I nose around in
hoping to get the better
of being lost in the moment
pacing strides together
fragile womens hand
tightgrip latched
aroung my aching back
to hold on the cage of ribs
it tickles but caress
is none the less delightful.

And when she laughs for an ample while this happiness is healing.

Gentle with the chapstick
on these calm weathered
dusty lips dainty fingertip
spread of one index
slimy smears that infect
the warm emotion upon
the touch I hold
little peice of me against
a frim anf fleshy chest
for the seconds that may
pass I resonate rhythym
from a lifeforce presented
in the body of a winner.

And when she trots away, the way it all sways, have to chase that feeling.

Energy is spunk laden
excitement all simple
dimple and smile with
the charge and its spark
that do shock me
like the outlet that goes zap
the antics of a jolt must outlast a battery
Moments in vicinity are never dull
and bouncy searching eye
movements casted back
from forth
are colored hazelgrey
as they trace against
opal ovals set inside
a soft-and pleasing featured face.---fin

And now some storytelling:

Ahh, only a person so much loved could inspire such words to leap from me. I first met Marissa back in high-school, in Spanish class I believe, and I was awed at her grace and beauty, so much to the point I would sit, and stare dreaming things I wanted to experience with her. I think the third week in, this would be my junior year, hers being fresh. I decided that at any length I would get to know her and her to know me in the same reference. It took me several months of reciting opening lines before I stumbled across the carpeted floor on one fated day to say, "well, hello...". I beat myself up inside at night, I wish i had said something different,better. Through some weird coincidence we ended up seated next to each other in the second semester. I loved going to third period, it's the only class besides art that I didn't ever skip. So I carefully planned to ask her if she wanted to be my partner the next time an exercise came up. And then one came up. We hit it off instantly, spent the whole period talking over neo- philisophical banter. And skip forward a month or two and I finally had the courage to ask her for her number. After that it was like a weird whirlwind of fate constantly sweeping through my life, it still amazes me to this day.Walking each other to class, chapstick. We would talk for hours on the telephone, to the point you can't hear out of your ear anymore, deep conversations, weird occurances, many things in common. I think once I played the guitar over the phone. We became real good freinds, up until like summer time. The end of the school year. Over the summer, I stopped calling her, neglecting her for stupid things like weed and rum. Instead we would see each other parties. At, I think it was Brian's house, we met in the sweaty pit and trampled dirt of a backyard. I think I even said something like," I'd hug you, but I'm sorta sweaty." Ditto, I think was the reply. Then a few minutes, or so it seems like, it could have been hour later, some guy comes up from her side an kisses her. I'm angry at this moment, angry at myself for have not followed through on my actions. I left the party quite upset, and didn't think about that moment for weeks. It was a Saturday I think, Freddi was driving and I was all liqoured up, to the point. I made him drive me by her house, this being after I hadn't talked to her for a month. I knocked on her bedroom window, gently, as not to rustle the sleep of her younger brother. A few lengthy seconds later she appeared in the front yard, followed by some other guy. We talked under the moonlight for fifteen minutes and then I left. I later on went on a camping trip, only to end up hooking up with some other flame, named Amanda, and she's a different story. When school was about to start up for my senior year, Amanda asked me if I was going to try to get back together with Marissa, and I said I thought so, but ended up not. I got into this long drawn out relationship with Amanda during my last year at school, in which many strange things happened. Once, during christmas I went to church with my girfriends family, and sitting in a pew, a few rows ahead of us, sat Marissa, with her family. We kept catching glances casted from each other, and Amanda was entirely upset with that. At new years, Sammy threw his usual party, where we caught up on things, spoke breifly but with meaning. Then spring break rolled around and Dan invited me to go to Mexico, to stay for a week in rocky point at his dad's condo. Naturally I agreed to going, nothing sounded more dangerous than binge drinking and hot sauce. Dan had invited his girfriend Tara, who was also Amanda's best friend to go, but neither had the funds or consent. So on the first day, I was lounging in the hammock which was delicatly slung from supporting poles. Two figures walked slowly up the dirt path leading to the condo, and as they got closer I noticed one was Marissa. How crazy, I thought, of all places all times. We spent the nights of that week drinking heavily, the most memorable was when I dared Marissa to drink fifteen shots of Tequila, she did, I matched, then she hurled a rock at dan from fifty feet and nailed him on the head. we discussed me being with who I was, and who she was dating. I explained how I cared and respected her so much, but couldn't bring myself to cheat on my girfriend. I remember turning down a body-shot, in fear of secrets being brought back from bars. Later, after the graduation and everything, Amanda and I broke up. I think it was in July, I remember wanting to through my phone yards away from me, ater the call, but that all in all is a different story. Since Amanda and I had broken up, I was frequenting more parties, more liqour. At Freddi's midsummer graduation party (yea he's a little slow) I was dressed in pajama bottoms and a dress shirt marked Phsyciatric Ward. I was sitting in a corner when I saw Marissa walk into the mix of people. In glee I yelped and immediatly headed towards her, we again hugged and talked, she said somethin to the tone of, " you look great, but your hair is fucking weird!". I sat on the edge of the empty pool with Tim, telling the story, when she noticed me pointing and smiling at her, she mouthed the word 'what?' I loved that moment. As she walked around the pool towards us I told Tim I was going to get her number, and as she passed, I grabbed her arm, gently, and demanded her phone number, she gave it, and I stored it in my phone. A week later there was a party with Jungle Juice and I left my phone somewhere to get stolen, with her number in it. Later that year, more towards September, we ran into each other again at some party, where I sat in the shadows next to Gina, a good friend. Marissa came outside and plopped into a chair, my heart skipped a million beats. And oddly, no words were spoken. Her and all her friends were on X I think. Feeling incredibly uncomfortable I got up to head inside, as I walked through the door she muttered something about a minauture baseball bat I had taken I liking to. "What," I asked. She repeated what she said, paused, and added, "oh, thanks for calling." Damn, I was hurt and confused and in shock, so I left the party, kicking myself. Later on at the New Year, again at Sammy's, it was the whole y2k thing and everybody was going fucking crazy overboard. Tubbs and I were drunk rapping through a janky microphone, Dave was chasing 'that chick in the blue shirt'. And I spotted Marissa sitting on the brick wall that ran along the middle of the yard. When twelve o clock rolled around I moseyed my way over to her and we shared electricity for a few moments. I didn't see her till the middle of the year 2000, when I was dating a different girl. It was the one time I decicded to go out with Angel and maybe drink a little. We stopped at a Filiberto's and there were all sorts of people hanging out there. Leaning up against Angels car, Marissa noticed me and came walking over. We stood and chatted for a long time, once again catching up on things. her parting words were," well, Im going, I'd give you a hug, but you're with that Andral girl and whatever." I told her not to worry, and we hugged and went on our way. Flashfoward to 2001, in August, a week before my birthday, Andral and I break up. A few months later, again at the New Year, Dave and I decided to skip going to a bar, and were going to go to Sammys annual. But that year he didn't have a party, so we drove around in boredom till Angel called. He was at some highschool party drinking a mad amount of liqour. So we showed up, and walking through the backyard gate and under the patio, Marissa came out from inside, with a horde of her friends who haven't seen us in ages. We once again talked, caught up, hugged ang laughed about many things that were riddled in our past. Later in the evening I stole a light bulb, colored red, and gave it to her.
I wonder if she still has it. When the party was eventually winding down to a slugs pace, Marissa was drunk and babbling at a high volume about her present boyfriend, I guess this is the classic story. I left that night excited and screaming to Dave about fate " every year, every year!"And such is so the year passed and has brought me to the last new year, actually it was just last Feb. Dave and I were heading into our favorite bar, were we've become 'regulars'. I hate that phrase. Anyways we were waking towards the door and my heart stopped, I looked to my left and she was sitting shotgun in a car getting ready to leave. It felt like an hour long glance. We had the same 'it's you' look on our face. I smiled and waved and walked into the bar, punched Dave's arm, yellin, " every year, every year!" About four drinks later, Angel talked us into going to a different bar, so we left, and then arrived. Loud ugly dance music was playing from inside, a solid thumping. We entered the bar and it was clad in darkness, I put my hands on Tubbs' shoulders to guide me. When my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I spied a series of bodies in movement on a makeshift dancefloor. I scanned the crowd and spotted Marissa dancing with the fever. I sat on the side, in one of the booths, watching her silky moves. She danced for hours, And I watched, half the time yelling 'you're plastic' at the cd dj. When the music stopped and the lights came back on I seized the chance. I went up to her and started with the same old same old. She told me how she remembered us talking on the phone in highschool, the parties, she remembered everything. Then out of nowhere she mentioned she had recently broken up with the guy she was seeing the last two years, I was estatic, and elastic. I borrowed a pen from the 'plastic' dj and she wrote her number on my hand, big letters.
"This is for real, right?" referring to the numbers. "Yes".


Yea I know, reall sappy, but that is the story behind the words. Enjoy.

i am sooooooo glad you did this...your story is as good as the poem...i had so many flashbacks my head is still spinning...catcher in the rye should be this good...the details, feelings, raw emotions, confessions, in a strobe kinda kaleidoscope rush I’ve not felt since the first time I skydived, all spell just one thing…life, with and without…it’s going to be days and many readings before I can correlate all the things I felt while reading this and give you a coherent reply…I am so lost in this I may never look for the door out…thank you so much for telling the story :D

sundry

*sigh* I'm happily lost in the weave... both the amazing poetry and the tale behind the words. It's like parallel lines in non-Euclidean geometry.

ettr I remeber from poetry board and your work has always been amazing "she swims in beauty" ... nice work ;)

thank you, misswatereyedjewel.