DDCPoetry

Original poem reprinted online here: "Ornature" by Christina Pugh Originally read: June 6, 2013 More information about the Poet: Christina Pugh Past me wrote this at the beginning of the poem, "Ornature -- decoration, but why this iteration."  I thought about the choice of diction for a while -- and after reading the end, I understand now.  But first the first part of the poem, sets up the mood, ambiance, and subject of the poem. The first part of the poem starts as a narrative in which there's some visceral realistic imagery with, "To trim away the shrapnel, / the surgeon sliced a sliver of her skull."  The alliteration adds more of a surreal intention to the line -- shrapnel, surgeon, sliced, sliver and skull are all pretty serious nouns and a verb that has violent and surreal indications. The poem follows through with the surreal action with the description of what is left, "Now, when she lifts her hair / to show the shape, it's moony;...