Thor Bridge/Teen

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Story: The Problem of Thor Bridge

Rating: Teen for mention of drug use

Summary: The first sixty words of an unfinished poem from the late Mrs. Gibson’s perspective

Dear Sir,

Don’t blame my fate on rivulets beneath my skin.

My blood was no warmer than any army officer’s,

twice-baked by Indian and Afghani suns.

Don’t blame the earth’s slant beneath my cradle.

For if we blame birthplace and forbearers for our transgressions,

we might charge

Vernet

for the brushstrokes of a syringe on the canvas of an arm.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Nicely word and very astute.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful. I love ...rivulets beneath my skin, Don’t blame the earth’s slant beneath my cradle and ...the brushstrokes of a syringe on the canvas of an arm.

Such an inspired idea to write the 60 as a (partial) poem - the form seems so appropriate for the intense feelings.

And you make such a good point. Of course our genes and upbringing have some effect on us but we aren't that different to one another - we're all humans. And we're all individuals who can take responsibility for our own actions.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I agree. Her tropical nature (emphasis on the tropical rather than the nature) doesn't explain or excuse her choices. Holmes does pay her the compliment of calling her subtle and deep at the end.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this very good verse. Well thought, too. All good, but I can't help quoting the earth’s slant beneath my cradle. And such a great last line!

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Eloquently said - and a nice slap in the face to that casual Victorian racism.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

There's a lot going on with Mrs. Gibson. And the culture in which she was raised plays a part in her nature, but that isn't just Brazil, it's being a woman, too. How women are taught to express their anger, or not. How their taught to view other women. And part of it may be a bit of mental illness. And part of it is her own free will to choose a particular course of action. I'm not fond of just saying "oh, those crazy Latins!" and that being the last word. At least Holmes at the end calls her subtle and deep.

[godsdaisiechain.livejournal.com]

What a great discussion! I was strongly reminded in this story (and this poem) of Wide Sargasso Sea, in fact.

Striking imagery. Poignant. Lovely.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Definitely re: Wide Sargasso Sea. A woman (especially a foreign woman and a woman of colour) declared 'mad' by a white society. I'm not excusing Mrs. Gibson's choices, but I empathize with being thwarted in love and having self-destructive impulses and not knowing how to deal with those impulses. And those impulses manifesting in bizarre ways.

[godsdaisiechain.livejournal.com]

Quite bizarre, in fact.

[debriswoman]

This is beautifully done...a sad rebuke.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Sad because it's posthumous.