Saturday, May 10, 2008

Rebecca

(On remembering Daphne du Maurier quite suddenly)

Maxim de Winter,

I need to ask you today

did Rebecca win again?


I cannot find the book,

but I must remember

and like a stranger’s

whetted curiosity,

I need to know

more about those

neatly filed letters

she signed with her

imposing slanting R.


So I crawl into every frame

I can recall from the

once-read book,

like a persistent shadow

you cannot sever.


Manderley

with its fumes

of unkempt gardens

had promised a new beginning.

And here, you said,

words seldom matter,

shapes do.

And I named the

shape I met on

a sudden afternoon

Rebecca.

Like a glove

the name fit.


Maxim, you ask me

To hold on,

like a child

tied to a kite

spread against the sky.

A human butterfly.

But soon, Manderley

was licked by flames,

burning down

all the assurances

ever made.


Maxim de Winter,

I need to ask you today,

didn’t Rebecca win again?

10 comments:

Sukhaloka said...

Wow.
Now I want to read it again!

Those images are so beautiful, Anu :)

Arse Poetica said...

beautiful.
as always.
the language and anoo merge.

What's In A Name ? said...

Seems to be highly referential, this poem and though I don't get the 'reference' ( as in WHO this Rebecca is ) I like it, nevertheless.

Anoo. said...

@WHAT'S IN A NAME? : This poem is based on Daphne du Maurier's classic novel 'Rebecca'. Without having read the book, it will be rather hard to grasp this piece, but thankyou for reading and liking it. :)

Subhayu said...

as a complete ignoramus when it comes to poetry and the english language in general, i just loved reading it.no judgements......

Sayan said...

You write with much sensitivity and grace. (sighinducing,you are)

Beautiful,is the word. :)

(and oh,I liked the previous blog layout better.)

Anoo. said...

@ Sayan:
Thank you! well i'm just fiddling around with the colours and everything else on the template because after a while that got boring (for me, that is) :)

Parjanya said...

'Like a glove the name fit' :) brilliant as always!

Lucid Darkness said...

The story always evokes a lot of questions, doesn't it?
The poem entwines itself about these. Very nice, indeed.

Anoo. said...

@ lucid darkness: i tried to devise new meanings for these oft repeated questions, scattered throughout the book... :)

thank you!