QUICK, WHAT DOES THIS POEM MEAN?

J

Jillian C

New member
My Daughter-as if I
owned her-that girl with the
hair wispy as a frayed bellpull

has been to the barber, that knife grinder,
and had the edge of her hair sharpened

Each strand now cuts
both ways. The blade of new bangs
hangs over her red-brown eyes
like carbon steel

All the little
spliced ropes are sliced. The curtain of
dark paper-cuts veils the face that
started from next to nothing in my body-

My body. My daughter. I'll have to find
another word. In her bright helmet
she looks at me as if across a
great distance. Distant fires can be
glimpsed in the resin light of her eyes:

the watch fires of an enemy, a while before
the war starts.

THANKS GUYS
 
Erm this is just a guess but it sounds as though its a mother who isn't happy with how her daughter has decided to cut her hair or something. The bright helmet could be a metaphor for this. The fire I'm not sure perhaps something to do with the haircut being a way of rebellion, perhaps fitting in with the before the war starts line. I really don't know its all about your interpretation of poetry, everyone reads into poetry differently. Hope that helps.
 
Erm this is just a guess but it sounds as though its a mother who isn't happy with how her daughter has decided to cut her hair or something. The bright helmet could be a metaphor for this. The fire I'm not sure perhaps something to do with the haircut being a way of rebellion, perhaps fitting in with the before the war starts line. I really don't know its all about your interpretation of poetry, everyone reads into poetry differently. Hope that helps.
 
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