questions for jolene

((The concept for this poem was take from Warsan Shire, who wrote the poem questions for miriam.  Which she in turn took from Caits Meissner, who wrote questions for yusef. So I don't own that. Only trying to mimic brilliance. ))

And yes, it's the Jolene from the song. Ever wondered about her?

-

did you ever think about the hearts

that you left shattered?

jolene,

did they ever make you cry?

jolene,

did you ever set the clocks wrong

so he would stay an extra hour?

did you do it for the time

or for the woman waiting, 

just to spite her? 

jolene,

who was it that made you hate

women so?

who twisted something 

inside you

turned your body inside out

and made you use it 

for all of the wrong ways? 

did you love men, jolene?

or did you hate them?

who was it that broke your heart, jolene?

who made you so thirsty for blood,

for the sound of hearts snapping,

the sound of women crying

alone on kitchen floors?

did you ever really laugh?

were you ever a child, jolene?

or did someone steal that from you?

is that why you make a life from thieving?

stealing hearts in broad daylight,

under the tear-rimmed eyes of less

beautiful women?

who's was the first heart you broke?

a man or a woman?

do you remember how it felt in your hands,

did the power

make your head rush?

did they ever cry when you left them?

did you open the doors for the sobbing women

out of pity or pride? 

were you kind or cruel?

was each stroke of lipstick

a victory for you, jolene?

did you feel success 

as you pulled your hose up your legs? 

did the satisfaction grow

with each conquest, 

jolene?

or did they slowly 

become more hollow?

did you have to crush more viciously, then?

do you ever look in the mirror, jolene?

or do you only pick your reflection

out of the eyes of others?

have you ever allowed yourself to be ugly?

jolene, have you ever screamed

like you made other women scream,

have you ever begged?

was being on your knees once

enough to let you know

you never wanted to be there again?

do you ever search for your heart, jolene?

under masses and memories

and ashes of broken arteries? 

do you ever find it?

do you look at what's left?

and does it ever make you cry?