Poetry Train Monday - 136 - She Was Too Strong For Me

Here's a backstory poem for one of the characters in the story I worked on during NaNoWriMo in November.

Cavan is the grown son of the village wise woman in a 6th century Welsh village. He spends his days hiding his own sorcerer's power from his mother. He both adores her as a son and fears her power as a witch.

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She Was Too Strong For Me


My cries filled our hut
My cries
Mother roused long enough to soothe me
I was too distraught to fight off
Her quick charm

I slipped back into sleep
Slipped back for
More torments
Unwilling to see what
Must surely come next

I sat up
About to be sick
I sat, watching Mother
I whispered the words of my own charm
Sadly I whispered with a seething anger

Did all mothers try so hard
To care for their sons
Did all mothers force sons to be cruel
To break away from so much caring

I remained sitting
A pitiful attempt
To stay awake
Soon my head
Dipped down
Upon my chest

I jerked awake, stiff and
Disoriented

Mother stirred

I moaned
Tried to force myself
Past Mother’s whispered charm
She was too strong for me

An eerie comfort, her strength
Even as it sent me
Those silent screams
Only I could hear

"No…" I moaned
Sweating with effort
I fought her
Fought the invisible bonds

I thrashed about
With all the might I possessed
Thrashed and fought
But all in my mind

In reality I lay
As though deep in sweet slumber
I sensed Mother rising
Sensed Mother creeping over
To look

Felt her soft fingers brush
A sweaty tendril of
Hair from my forehead
I moaned

Mother bent down
Mother kissed me
She whispered a soothing charm
Thinking to keep her son safe
From dream demons

Couldn't she hear
That my moans were really screams?
Her charm muffled them
Like thick cloths stuffed hard in my mouth

I fell into dreams
Down and down
To places no one should be made to go
“Hush, now,” Mama said

Forcing her breast in my mouth

I shook my head from side to side
Protesting this outrage
She guided my face with
Immovable hands
I was made to suck

In a while it comforted me
But I had sharp little teeth

I watched as Mama’s face
Lined with the pain of feeding me

- Julia Smith, Jan. 17, 2010

Nikita Banerjee How do you come up with such good poems? :)

Andy Sewina Phew, I think this would work well on the radio!

Janet says I'm always fascinated by a writer's process - is character backstory something you usually do as you write, before you write?

Thursday Thirteen - 62 - 13 of My Favourite Canadian Hotties in Honour of Canada Day

1 - Christopher Body

First Soloist with the National Ballet of Canada, he has performed on Broadway with Twyla Tharp, as well as dance/acted in Roxanna, a film for CBC/Bravo!

Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann






















2 - Sidney Crosby

Sid the Kid, Number 87 for the Pittsburgh Penguins

Youngest captain of a professional NHL hockey team, already he is only the 7th player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy for high scoring, the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player and the Lester B. Pearson Award, also for Most Valuable Player.

Photo by Peter Redman










3 - Roy Dupuis

Quebecois actor who is as well-known in English Canada as in French Canada. He was in the miniseries Les Filles de Caleb (in Quebec) also known as Emilie (in English Canada), the TV series La Femme Nikita and played the title role in Maurice Richard (The Rocket). Most recently he portrayed retired Canadian general Romeo Dallaire in Shake Hands With the Devil.








Photo by Steve Carty





4 - Brendan Fraser

Dual citizen of the US and Canada - like me! - he is an actor best known for The Mummy series of films. A few of my favourite other films of his are Gods and Monsters and Blast From the Past.

Photo by Glenn Harris









Photo by Chris Hatcher





5 - Wayne Gretzky

The Great One, Number 99

Retired legendary hockey superstar and unrivaled record breaker, he currently acts as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes and is part owner of the team. He has received the Order of Canada.

Photo by Jen Patterson



Wayne with his dad, Walter.





6 - Paul Gross

An actor, singer, writer, director and producer, his best-known role is Mountie Constable Benton Fraser from Due South. He wore multiple hats for the curling comedy Men With Brooms and for this fall's WWI film Passchendaele.
















7 - Ian Hanomansing

An on-air journalist for CBC.




Just listen to his voice in the following clip:





8 - Rex Harrington

Artist-in-Residence with the National Ballet of Canada, he's a retired principal dancer famed for his partnering skills, especially his dance partnership with Evelyn Hart. A ballet superstar, he appeared internationally and has received the Order of Canada. Pictured above with mezzo-soprano Jean Stilwell.




Rex dances with Evelyn Hart





9 - David Nerman

Best-known for his white-clad role as the angelic manservant, Albert in the Canadian commercials for Philly Cream Cheese.









10 - Sam Roberts

Juno award-winning singer and songwriter, best known for Brother Down, Where Have All the Good People Gone? and Bridge to Nowhere.








Photo by Tim Snow





11 - Ed Robertson

A singer, songwriter and guitarist for Barenaked Ladies. He also hosted Ed's Up for Outdoor Life Network Canada, which followed him to GPS co-ordinates, where he located a new boss and a new job for each episode.










12 - Brad Smith

Who is Brad Smith? Why, my very own Canadian hottie husband, of course.































13 - Justin Trudeau

Eldest son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. A teacher, public speaker, social activist and politician, he came to national attention when he delivered a moving televised eulogy at his father's funeral.








Justin Trudeau with Liberal MP and former hockey goalie Ken Dryden

Photo by John Mahoney