It’s not like in the movies—
When the girl cries softly,
Her teardrops falling gently,
Her lips plump and red like rubies.
It’s agonizing and excruciating and loud—
With globs of tears leaving a trace
Of mascara staining her face,
Falling apart in the few moments she’d allowed.
It’s like carving your heart with every sob—
Falling into despair, deeply and suddenly,
Until you feel your heart beat stubbornly,
And remember there’s hope in every throb.
© Jade M. Wong
Written for dVerse’s Tuesday Poetics. Prompt: Find the beauty in ugliness.
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Hollywood never gets anything quite right. No actor is that good. As Gina said in her poem, it’s beautiful because it’s true. Just as you have shown of weeping here.
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Thank you very much! I agree, movies and tv shows never hit reality on the mark, but I suppose that’s why they’re movies and not real life. I’m glad you enjoyed this poem, and I’m glad we have a mutual friend in Gina! She’s such a wonderful and perceptive person. Thank you for stopping by, Gospel Isosceles 🙂
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The ugly and the beauty intertwine wonderfully in this well-expressed piece.
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Thank you Diana! Ugly and Beauty are two sides of the same coin, I think. One situation can be seen as both ugly and beautiful, depending on how we choose to look at it.
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My pleasure, Jade and I agree with your remark.
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Tears have a beauty of their own and the last line sums it up beautifully, “And remember there’s hope in every throb”. Nothing is more beautiful to a saddened soul than ‘hope’. Lovely write.
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Thank you so much! Yes, there is beauty in sadness, if we choose to see it. Hope is definitely, as Emily Dickinson wisely said, “the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul”. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, Dorianna!
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Nice resolution in those last two lines.
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Thank you Frank 🙂 I appreciate the read and comment.
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Nothing more therapeutic than a good, all out cry. It’s the myth of ugliness that stops us often. Well done.
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I couldn’t agree more! A good ugly cry can definitely be therapeutic. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, VJ!
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Very welcome.
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I love how you captured the ugly and ended with beauty. The last line inspires hope.
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Thank you Astrid! I’m glad you believed the last line inspired hope. It’s always nice to end things on a happier note 🙂
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Very true ☺
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Why do I feel sad just by reading this? 😦
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Aww…perhaps because it is a sad poem? Sometimes, we must feel sad in order to appreciate happiness..
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Your poem is deceptively well-structured, Jade, with a subtle rhyme scheme and conversational tone. And you’e right – it’s never like the movies.I love the way you’ve captured the ugliness of a good old sob in the list of three ‘It’s agonizing and excruciating and loud’ and the ‘globs of tears, and I felt the pain ‘carving your heart with every sob’. The beauty of it is captured so well in the final lines!
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Thank you so much Kim! I had wanted to capture the feel of a conversation in this poem and I’m glad you felt that was conveyed. No, nothing is ever truly like the movies, I think. Thank you for reading and sharing your insightful comments!
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Ahhh Jade every syllable is tearing my heart apart….i love this ..
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Aww michnavs, thank you! It’s always lovely to have you visit and read my poems. Thank you for your kind words ❤
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Ahhhhhh. Yes, dearie. In our darkest days we learn how to create our own light. In our hardest we learn we are brave enough. Love this! And you!
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That’s exactly it, Rosema! In our hardest things, that’s when we learn our true strength 🙂 Thank you dearie <3!
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Yesss. Sooo true. Thank you, dearie!
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I like the flow of your poem, so natural. Crying can be ugly but I think there is beauty in the release. Thanks for joining in with the prompt. 🙂
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Aww thank you. I agree, crying can be extremely soothing and cleansing and sometimes, it helps so much to just let everything out. It was my pleasure to participate in the prompt. Thank you for hosting this week!
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I like the ending of this so much. A good ugly cry cleanses the soul.
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Thank you! I’m a sucker for happy and hopeful endings so I had to incorporate a little happier ending lol. Thank you for reading!
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So true, the ugliness of a sobbing cry…but the cleansing is a beauty of its own!
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Very well said, Beverly! Yes the cleansing really is a beauty of its own, isn’t it? Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts!
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no make up artist on hand for perfect touch ups, tears flowing freely are the most beautiful form of expression, in all its ugliness – a very good take on the writing prompt Jade, just love this
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Beautifully said Gina, that’s right, in real life there are no make up artists or stylists to make you look perfect. You simply are who you are, and you must the beauty in yourself. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem, Gina!
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enjoyed it very much. you know someone once told me a woman is beautiful from the way she makes others feel beautiful when they are around her. and he is totally right. i feel that glow when ever we speak!
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Awwww oh my gosh, Gina you just made me smile so wide. I believe that comment goes both ways because you always make others around you feel so wonderful too ❤
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thank you my dear! I hope I do!
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oh yes! It’s not like in the movies….so well said! Crying can be….well….viscerally ugly if one looks at it carefully. Mascara running….nose running…..blotchy cheeks. But the emotion felt is a beautifully raw thing.
And yes….good rhyme scheme as well.
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Exactly! In my experience, crying has never been a pretty sight, and it always hurts to see someone cry. Thank you for reading and commenting, Lillian!
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I agree, the rhyme pattern is very natural. I hadn’t even noticed it!
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That doesn’t sound like what I meant. The poem flows so that the rhymes fit in without disturbing it and making themselves obvious—it’s natural, like crying 🙂
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Haha, don’t worry Jane, I understand what you meant the first time. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment (and clarify!). I’m glad you enjoyed the poem, and in particular the rhyme scheme ^_^
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Sorry about the fuzzy brain. It’s past my bedtime 🙂
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Oh goodness, this is amazing.
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Oh thank you, dear Sarah! Always love having you visit! I’m glad you enjoyed this piece.
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I can really see the contrasts between the types of crying, but maybe in the end it’s about why she is crying… and the comfort she’s given…
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A very insightful perspective, Björn, thank you. Yes, I think the reason behind the tears as well as the reason for not giving up are definitely more important than the tears themselves. Still, sometimes, I think you need to just lose yourself in the moment and have yourself an ugly cry 😅
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well crafted poem, it rhymes but not in an obvious way
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Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Nothing like an ugly cry, is there? I like your use of rhyme pattern here, it feels totally unforced and works really well.
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the rhyme scheme! And yes, nothing like an ugly cry 🙂
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