Glimmer

[alatos]

Glimmer


Line 1: I don’t know how to process all of this
Line 2: I don’t know how to process all of this.
Line 3: Help me.
Line 4: I don’t know how to process all of this.
Line 5: I don’t know . . . Am I supposed to do something?
Line 6: I don’t know how to process all of this.
Line 7: I could repeat, over and over, like the man who raped her
Line 8: how much I need her. How much things can work

Line 9: out. I don’t know how to process all - Are you saying the man who raped her claimed that things can work... out? Not sure I understand the enjambment here, either.
Line 10: of this. I don’t know how to process all of this.
Line 11: I don’t know how to process all of this.
Line 12: I don’t know how to be good.  To smile. How
Line 13: to fix my eyes on something beautiful 
Line 14: and say, “Isn’t that beautiful thing worth it?”

But I love her, so fuck it. I’ll figure it out. Line 15 can kiss my ass.

I think the repetition is surprisingly nice. Lines 13-15 is where this falls apart for me. I really like where you're going in line 12, "I don't know how to be good," but I think that needs explored more in the context of processing a rape. Do you mean good as in "okay" (e.g. "I'm good"), or good as in good vs. evil? Is it a little of both? I think line 13-15 fall into borderline cliche. I do really like "line 15 can kiss my ass," but "But I love her, so fuck it," feels a little forced to me. I really like a lot of this poem, and I think if you sort of clarify/make more original that ending you would really have a great piece here!