Monday, February 6, 2012

Red Kryptonite

With super-powers
on high alert, senses
finely tuned, wary of being
trapped again by familiar
enemy disguised behind a
different face, a different shell

My eyes scan you,
check how you carry
yourself, how you interact
with others, how you fit
into your environment

My ears listen for clues
telling me that you
are not exactly who 
you appear to be

So busy watching, listening,
did not notice when the
lead wall came down until

limbs grew weak,
heart beat faster
words stumbled,
and through strange
telepathic connection,
felt I had known
you forever

Looking back, I wonder…
was it red kryptonite that 
altered this life all those years ago

or the heart hidden behind it?

© Ginny Brannan February 2012
For my dear husband, Ray… who brought the wall down.
***Written for The Mag #103, they provide image, we provide story!
*Image: a grave at the Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow
********************************************************* 
On seeing image, my first thought was Kryptonite--too many comic books read as a child, what can I say? Here are some of the curious facts about this:
*A Note on Red Kryptonite--from DC Comics database, by Brian Kurtz
 Red Kryptonite inflicts random effects on Kryptonians, typically creating an initial "tingling effect" in those affected, and causing, in part, some of the following:
  • Loss of power
  • Gained telepathy
  • Losing his invulnerability (along the left side of his body)
  • Unable to speak or write anything (but Kryptonese)
  • Loss of balance and manual dexterity
  • Mental transference
  • Personality alteration

15 comments:

  1. Oh, I like this a lot Ginny! Well done you!

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  2. This is great...and I love the explanation

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  3. smiles...i grew up on comic books so i knew your references...on some levels, if viewed in the positive...when can not predict when those walls will come down and love will ruch into spaces we thought we had protected...of course you could look at it as someone you let in in a negative context...but today i will leave it at love...because it is def a great equalizer....

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    1. True, there are more negative side effects to that red kryptonite than positive in the reality of the Superman fantasy (hmm, reality of fantasy, is that an oxymoron?!!) Anyways, I only shared the the facts that would reflect accordingly within the context of this idea, which in this case was quite 'positive.'

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  4. this is true love when the walls come down...just that powerful...love it ...love the superman kryptonyte reference as well...

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  5. I love the premise/inspiration behind this piece (and thanks for the explanation of red Kryptonite)... great poetry Ginny. And can I just reiterate how pretty this blog is?! I could get comfy...

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks Tess, love the image that you provided that inspired this!

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  7. Beautiful Ginny, thank you for sharing the story of your love with us.

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  8. This flows so well. And the themes- well they struck a nerve. I've been here before and felt every line you wrote. Perfectly captured.

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Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.