i wither whether with her or without her

Summary

The poem "Sure Shots" explores the complexities of a strong, steel-like woman's impact on the speaker, touching on themes of vulnerability, memory, addiction, and the struggle with one's own mortality.

Abstract

"Sure Shots" is a poignant poem that delves into the speaker's relationship with a woman of immense strength and resilience, likened to steel, deep waters, and willpower. The speaker admires her protective nature, yet feels like an outlaw trying to access her emotional treasures. The poem progresses through various metaphors, including the speaker's fragile ego as a stagecoach stick-up artist, the woman's essence captured like a photograph, and the speaker's weakened resolve in the face of her potency, akin to an alcoholic's denial. The woman is depicted as a savior and a cure, yet the speaker laments that they wither both with and without her. The poem concludes with the speaker waking up from a half-remembered dream with a gun to their head and a needle in their arm, suggesting a struggle with suicidal thoughts and substance abuse, as they reflect on their failed attempts to connect with the woman.

Opinions

The speaker perceives the woman as incredibly strong and nearly impenetrable, much like bullet-proof steel.
The speaker feels vulnerable and inadequate in comparison to the woman's strength, using the metaphor of a fragile ego in pursuit of her hidden treasures.
The woman's stillness and depth are revered by the speaker, who cherishes her image as one would childhood memories.
The speaker likens their own addiction and dependency to alcoholism, with the woman's heart metaphorically pumping alcoholic beverages.
The woman is idealized as a savior and a source of peace, yet this idealization may be detrimental to the speaker's well-being.
The speaker expresses a sense of futility and self-destruction, having attempted to connect with the woman through various means, including photography and drugs, only to feel they have missed their shot.
The poem suggests that the speaker's obsession with the woman is all-consuming and potentially life-threatening, as indicated by the imagery of suicide and drug use.

she’s strong. and still.

like deep waters negro spirituals and photos.

her face in black and white imprinted on my mind

like childhood memories

I never want to forget her.

I snuck a camera into her essence.

(quietly so that I would not be discovered.)

I lifted the camera like a newborn baby framed her

and….

It was a dream half-remembered.

I awoke half-drunk with a gun to my head and a needle in my arm. I couldn’t picture it, but I tried. Kodak film was strewn all over the floor.

I stared at the eye on the tripod watching me from across the room.

It has taken forever, but I finally took my shot at her.

i missed.

I am a poet, essayist, and civic strategist based in Birmingham, Alabama. Get to know me better here.

National Poetry Month

i wither whether with her or without her

sure shots: a poem (trigger warning: includes drug use & suicide)

Sure Shots

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