Little houses

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Liana Hanokaee


Little houses everywhere you see

Cars of different colors driving by

Many people looking for their key


Men of every age they take their tea

To work and other places they can sigh

Little houses everywhere you see


A childhood where they never could be free

Not a day goes by where they don’t lie

Many of them looking for their key


Slaves to egos that they want to feed

Never pausing on their way to ask why

Little houses everywhere you see


Never mind their wives, they play in three

Nothing exciting coming home to a wife that’s dry

Many people looking for their key


What is the value of that little ring

If men and dogs are living the same life

Little houses everywhere you see

Many people looking for their key

Comments

  1. Marcela HomsanyMarch 23, 2022 at 3:03 PM

    I love this poem, Liana! It is a slow build, but I think that's what I love about it the most. The slow build of potent filled statement sprinkled along this poem parallel, in my mind, the unexpected punches that are sprinkled throughout a leisurely life. I love the symbolism in the verse : Many people looking for their key- I feel like I'm in that 'phase' right now- I'm just looking for my key without noticing the world around me and this poem serves a great reminder of such. I LOVE STANZAS 4 AND 5. Amazing poem.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ElianaMarch 24, 2022 at 10:24 AM

    I love this poem! it has such a musical and almost upbeat pacing but the language is so mature and beautiful. I especially love the line, "Slaves to egos that they want to feed". So compelling!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rina ShamilovMarch 28, 2022 at 8:36 AM

    this is such a cool concept. this reminds me of "houses made of ticky tacky" which is a song about conformity in post-war white suburbia. i love the dryness of your language. everything essentially becomes reduced to the little houses and the lives the people who live inside of them lead. my only critique is this line: A childhood where they never could be free
    - it remains very consistent with the dry language, but i wonder if you could do something more with this abstraction. i dont think it needs to change because of how well it fits but it might be something you want to consider

    ReplyDelete
  4. Enya SmilovicMarch 30, 2022 at 9:16 AM

    wowww this poem struck me in a lot of unique ways. One of my fav TV shows Weeds has an intro song that starts with little boxes on the hillside and it's referring to the cookie cutter suburb homes. This poem just really made me think of that song and I had to let you know. Villanelles have become my favorites style so I really love that you did one here, there just so cool. Your rhymes are perfectly consistent and not at all forced.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Professor MillerApril 2, 2022 at 9:41 PM

    This kind of reminds me "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles and also "Time" by Pink Floyd--I mean that in a good way, as I am a big fan of both songs. Mostly this seems like lyrics to a song. It has the natural musicality and simplicity that works in songs. I like how outwardly focused it is on the lives of others. The poem makes a social statement like a good song.

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