A magician talks about the record for holding one’s breath As his assistant lowers herself into a tank of water. He calls it 22 minutes, But I swear to you it’s longer, I swear to you it’s years. This is how I remember it: When I would fall asleep with my glasses on, He slid them off and cleaned them, And then placed them on my nightstand Every single time. Once, I took a sip of wine And I shrugged And set my glass down on the counter And he poured it down the sink, And then the entire bottle. He said, “Life is too short for bad wine.” He said, “You deserve better.” And I have not cooked chicken in four months. The meat thermometer ended up in one of his boxes And I have never been able to tell Just by looking when something is finished. And this is not a metaphor. I am really afraid of food poisoning And I know Given an oven And enough time I would cook the chicken until it was charred and crumbling. And this is not a metaphor This is not abut the way I didn’t even hear the timer go off Until the entire kitchen was on fire. “He seemed like such a nice guy,” Everyone says, As I tell them my new address, As if you can tell from outside an oven if the meat inside is poison. The assistant rises from the water Frantic and worn out and gasping And the audience cheers her escape As she wonders if she could’ve held on just a little bit longer. On our first date He ran his fingertips across my skin Like he was reading my palm. And this is the hardest part: That boy is not made of fists. That boy learned how to braid my hair, And these things do not untruth themselves When the first door slams, And I did not stop loving him All the months I was holding my breath, And this is the hardest part: The way a fish is still a fish even after she’s been gutted, Even after her lips split clean in half from the hook, And the hook, And the hook, And do you think the fish blames herself, And her own stupid, open mouth? Do you think the fisherman apologised? Said all he wanted was to hold her, Said, “I have touched that hook for years And it never once pierced me. Darling, how could I have known?” And do you think the fish forgave him? Said, “I’m sorry too. I promise I’ll try harder to breath outside the water.”
Megha Sharma my interpretation, and I may be wrong, is that the poet is speaking about an abusive or unhealthy relationship she was in. How it started well and ended badly. She also compares this relationship to the relationships between a fish and a fisherman and a magician and his assistant.
hi. i love this, but im not really sure what this is about. i mean, it doesn't sound like a toxic relationship. im sorry. im confused. can anyone please expound? :)
For me (my interpretation) it's about an abusive relationship and how she struggles with the fact that her abuser wasn't always bad, that he shoved her love and affection in so many ways and she didn't realize it was abuse for a long time.
ahh, i see i see. thank you so much. that made so much sense. I was confused with the lines "that boy is not made of fists that boy learned to braid my hair" after talking about how the relationship was poisonous. thank you! :) this made me cherish it even more
Just another feminist who contradicts herself and is basically saying that women are weak and actually comparing you guys fish, you feminist must be really proud of her!
Musictkd16 you another ignorant fool who only familiar with the F word because you aren't strapped with the intelligence to say something sensible or productive, you are a waste of space!
Musictkd16 no, I think that's all your little brain can come up with. I definitely don't think you can educate me on anything, cause it seems you don't understand anything about the system and who really are the losers and how exactly we are loosing.
Musictkd16 no its you who needs to heal from the mental incapability, you are totally lost and have no clue about the world and where it needs to be, you are only a spoiled privilege woman looking for a meaning , if you really wanna do something be a humanist and stop being apart of segregation and destroying society, so maybe you should take your head out of your privilege little ass and go make a baby and raise them to be a good upright human who can benefit the world and not destroy it like you, you extremist piece of crap!
Musictkd16 I'm sure you know exactly how it works seeing that you are the type to use a motive to get what you want from other women, you should use your strength and energy in helping someone who needs help and stop imagining a world of only women walking around in thongs, you sicko!
A magician talks about the record for holding one’s breath
As his assistant lowers herself into a tank of water.
He calls it 22 minutes,
But I swear to you it’s longer,
I swear to you it’s years.
This is how I remember it:
When I would fall asleep with my glasses on,
He slid them off and cleaned them,
And then placed them on my nightstand
Every single time.
Once, I took a sip of wine
And I shrugged
And set my glass down on the counter
And he poured it down the sink,
And then the entire bottle.
He said, “Life is too short for bad wine.”
He said, “You deserve better.”
And I have not cooked chicken in four months.
The meat thermometer ended up in one of his boxes
And I have never been able to tell
Just by looking when something is finished.
And this is not a metaphor.
I am really afraid of food poisoning
And I know
Given an oven
And enough time
I would cook the chicken until it was charred and crumbling.
And this is not a metaphor
This is not abut the way I didn’t even hear the timer go off
Until the entire kitchen was on fire.
“He seemed like such a nice guy,”
Everyone says,
As I tell them my new address,
As if you can tell from outside an oven if the meat inside is poison.
The assistant rises from the water
Frantic and worn out and gasping
And the audience cheers her escape
As she wonders if she could’ve held on just a little bit longer.
On our first date
He ran his fingertips across my skin
Like he was reading my palm.
And this is the hardest part:
That boy is not made of fists.
That boy learned how to braid my hair,
And these things do not untruth themselves
When the first door slams,
And I did not stop loving him
All the months I was holding my breath,
And this is the hardest part:
The way a fish is still a fish even after she’s been gutted,
Even after her lips split clean in half from the hook,
And the hook,
And the hook,
And do you think the fish blames herself,
And her own stupid, open mouth?
Do you think the fisherman apologised?
Said all he wanted was to hold her,
Said, “I have touched that hook for years
And it never once pierced me.
Darling, how could I have known?”
And do you think the fish forgave him?
Said, “I’m sorry too.
I promise I’ll try harder to breath outside the water.”
I was just about to do this oh my goodness thank you
I listen to this almost everyday to remember that this kind of breakup happens and it's okay for me to feel these things.
She's done it again, I'm in love with her and her poetry (:
i just want to have a conversation with her jesus christ she's amazing
Am i the only one who finds her voice soothing?
nope me too I can listen to her over and over again
Her voice is so powerful yet soothing.
I love how much emotion lies behind these words
The more I listen to this the more I feel it resonating. She is a worker of words. Mad respect!!!
this poem is so important to me
YOU HAVE NO IDEA DUMBASS HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA
I am not particularly emotional but this brought tears to my eyes because I related to EVERY. WORD.
I love this poem so much, it gives me chills every time I listen to it
One of my very few favorites because it is me
tHIS IS MY ANSOLUTE FREAKING FAVORITE
So much talent.
Yes. This is the hardest part.
Very deep and powerful. People are complicated period.
She killed it
my sister and i have memorized this ☺
Gosh damn, Brenna Twohy! 💜
i watch this everyday
Omg her words 💔❤️❤️
I love this
I love this so much. I'm crying 😭
I think about this all the time.
I really love her omg
Oh my God this poem reminds me so much of my husband and I.
Hot damn this is powerful
She is powerful. :)
she's perfect
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Damn, Brenna. You know I don't usually curse but damn, girl. 🔥
No mercy, indeed.
can someone explain to me what this poem says.
Megha Sharma my interpretation, and I may be wrong, is that the poet is speaking about an abusive or unhealthy relationship she was in. How it started well and ended badly. She also compares this relationship to the relationships between a fish and a fisherman and a magician and his assistant.
hi. i love this, but im not really sure what this is about. i mean, it doesn't sound like a toxic relationship. im sorry. im confused. can anyone please expound? :)
For me (my interpretation) it's about an abusive relationship and how she struggles with the fact that her abuser wasn't always bad, that he shoved her love and affection in so many ways and she didn't realize it was abuse for a long time.
ahh, i see i see. thank you so much. that made so much sense. I was confused with the lines "that boy is not made of fists
that boy learned to braid my hair" after talking about how the relationship was poisonous. thank you! :) this made me cherish it even more
Just another feminist who contradicts herself and is basically saying that women are weak and actually comparing you guys fish, you feminist must be really proud of her!
Justin Chad fuck you
Musictkd16 you another ignorant fool who only familiar with the F word because you aren't strapped with the intelligence to say something sensible or productive, you are a waste of space!
Musictkd16 no, I think that's all your little brain can come up with. I definitely don't think you can educate me on anything, cause it seems you don't understand anything about the system and who really are the losers and how exactly we are loosing.
Musictkd16 no its you who needs to heal from the mental incapability, you are totally lost and have no clue about the world and where it needs to be, you are only a spoiled privilege woman looking for a meaning , if you really wanna do something be a humanist and stop being apart of segregation and destroying society, so maybe you should take your head out of your privilege little ass and go make a baby and raise them to be a good upright human who can benefit the world and not destroy it like you, you extremist piece of crap!
Musictkd16 I'm sure you know exactly how it works seeing that you are the type to use a motive to get what you want from other women, you should use your strength and energy in helping someone who needs help and stop imagining a world of only women walking around in thongs, you sicko!
DAMN
Very deep and powerful. People are complicated period.