Take Another Piece

Piece Of My Heart (Take Another) by Janis Joplin on Grooveshark


Take Another Piece

You fear I am fragile
because tears come
too often to my eyes.

Strength doesn’t always
equate facing the world
with gritted teeth.

It is through tears I wash
grief from me before
it becomes a stone in my chest.

I cry when joy overwhelms,
when beauty takes my breath,
when I say I love you.

Take another piece of my heart.
I am willing to break it
to make us whole.

I am not afraid to love you.
It doesn’t matter what was,
just what will be.

Let my tears be your strength
to let go of the armor
you have placed around your heart.


©Susie Clevenger 2012
Image: Favim
 Out of Standard with Izy
Over at Real Toads Izy has challenged us to take our favorite break up song and rewrite our favorite lyric from it and re-invent our personal anthem. Whew! Well, this was mine. :)

Comments

Isadora Gruye said…
This is beyond an anthem, it's a battle cry in the best possible way! Thanks so much for participating and sharing with us Susie. Your work always carries the distinctive flavor of empowerment and self awareness!
June 6, 2012 at 7:51 AM
Mary Ann Potter said…
Oh, my goodness, Susie. Janis and this poem! Loved it. Your work grinds out emotion just as her voice grinds out the music.
June 6, 2012 at 8:16 AM
Kerry O'Connor said…
I love the switch up to a poem which reconfirms the love and commitment. There is a challenge and a promise in the last lines, which speak of a highly compassionate soul.
I love it.
June 6, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Laurie Kolp said…
Perfect song for the prompt... and your poem, I just love... especially the ending.
June 6, 2012 at 8:56 AM
Mary said…
I really believe in the necessity of tears. They convey feelings, happy as well as deep pain! I very much like the conclusion.
June 6, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Peggy said…
I like where you took this lyric! Wonderful philosophy.
June 6, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Daydreamertoo said…
From heartache to.... we can work it out. Love it! That's what it's all about isn't it... compromise.
Love this Susie!
June 6, 2012 at 3:50 PM
ed pilolla said…
it's a lovely poem. my favorite line is i'm not afraid to love you. really got me with that.
June 6, 2012 at 6:41 PM
Hannah said…
Excellent!! I love what you've done here and it totally validates my belief that tears are super important. I cry double time, too. I enjoyed this and the song...love Janis!
June 6, 2012 at 10:16 PM
kaykuala said…
How noble a love you are extending. It has sincerity written all over with lots of sacrifice in full support. Janis's melodious offerings spun fond memories of rock. Thanks for sharing Laurie!

Hank
June 7, 2012 at 4:00 AM
Susan said…
Own it! Yes, I am strong because I feel. Take another piece, if you can handle it! But so gentle you are--paired with Janus, this made my heart skip a beat. Thanks.
June 7, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Marian said…
this is evidence of strength, for sure: "It doesn’t matter what was,
just what will be."
June 7, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Mystic_Mom said…
You took this and turned it into something really great. The reaffirmation of tears, love, hope and hearts. Wow!
June 7, 2012 at 11:13 AM
hedgewitch said…
Great choice, on of my all time favorite songs. You really nailed the challenge, too, to completely re-purpose the line--and your gift in this piece is to make it seem not just possible, but inevitable, beautiful, and natural.
June 7, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Susie Swanson said…
Let my tears be your strength, what a powerful and emotional poem...Awesome !!!
June 7, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Helen said…
My best years - the Janis years! You have used the emotion and message she presented ~ turned it upside down, inside out ~ making it relevant for today ~ for all time.
June 7, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Kay L. Davies said…
This is wonderful, Susie. I can SO relate to the idea of tears for all occasions, knowing it doesn't mean weakness. You've done a masterful job here, you and Janis, too.
K
June 7, 2012 at 2:25 PM
Luke Prater said…
great song an you've done a good job adapting that line for the challenge
June 7, 2012 at 3:04 PM
Mary B. Mansfield said…
Beautifully written Susie! Tenderness and strength coexist so well in this poem...love it!
June 7, 2012 at 3:22 PM
rosemary mint said…
My goodness, you are so emotionally healthy!!! This is surreal. :)

Seriously, this is a great poem. I like the part about strength not being equated with gritting teeth. Really, so much wisdom and true strength here. Beautiful.
June 7, 2012 at 5:50 PM
Herotomost said…
Great tune and I love that the words are not all lost hope. You made a beautiful point and an even better recovery it seems....great stuff.
June 7, 2012 at 9:23 PM
Anonymous said…
You told an excellent lesson in this poem - that tears don't necessarily have to mean "weakness." I think people sometimes don't understand this concept.
June 8, 2012 at 5:13 AM
Geraldine said…
Beautifully written, so touching...you did well with this challenge.
June 9, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Teresa B said…
Very powerful Susie. Really touched me.
June 9, 2012 at 11:18 PM
Post a Comment