Over time, the body,
when bitten enough,
can build up a tolerance
to mosquito bites
so that they no longer itch.
Then—though you might
be bitten a hundred times
on each arm
and again on each leg—
you won’t be bothered.
This comes to mind
when you walk in the store
and see by chance the person
whose words and glares have bitten you
ten thousand times before.
Shit. You forgot your long sleeves.
But this time, when you leave
the coffee aisle where you’ve both
been perusing the dark roast,
you notice nothing.
Nothing at all. No rise.
No ire. No welt. No itch.
No need to swat. No need to scratch.
Nothing at all. And you laugh
and wonder if the laugh is disguising
a pain response, but no,
you’re just laughing
because you’re proof that sometimes
after having been bitten enough
a tolerance comes—
and it doesn’t happen often,
but it happens. Call it grace.
Call it luck. Call it paying your dues.
Whatever it is, it feels so good
you may never cover up again.
Awesome…
thank you for reading it!
🙏🏼🍀
thank you, I need all the prayers and good luck I can get!
Love this so much!!!
thank you!
Love this!
thank you!
Hi
Love this!
thank you!
Great poem, really got my thinking. 😊
thank you!
Loved this!
thanks!
Good poem!
thank you!
it’s bitter when you feel that way when you’ve been hurt so much. I can not imagine developing immunity to hurtful words.
Yes, Anie, it is painful … and somehow, though I would not have known it possible, over time from at least this one person, I have learned not to take it personally–it really does roll off (most of the time). what a shock, a happy one, to find that where there was so much tension before even being near each other now, it’s not there. eventually i think the drama exhausted me … what a relief.
oh that’s nice, if you feel that as relief as a hardening, as a kind of learning process. I wish I could say that too. Hmm, or, I honestly do not know if I want that either. It would change my personality, my emotions, my feelings. And I do not really want that. So I would prefer that people learn what hurts me, make me cry, which makes me feel frustrated and sad.
Because in principle this is a vicious cycle. If you get hurt, you are hurt and offended. You need some time to digest it and if you are not careful you will hurt with your reaction aswell.
i love this conversation. you’ve got me thinking. in fact, I think the experience i was writing about felt less like a hardening and more like an opening … i realized how i had a wall up instantly when i would see this person (long sleeves in the poem), and then, one day, i didn’t need that wall anymore … she couldn’t hurt me and I could stay open. so yes, a learning process, but not really a hardening. I wouldn’t want that, either!
ohh, that’s strange! If it is not a hardening in the sense that one no longer feels emotions (which in the long run I can imagine is worse than being sad … at least that’s what a friend told me today that she has already experienced so in her life), then in the sensations for this person something must have changed.
If you e.g. are in love, even the slightest annotation of this person can cause untold pain. If this love is extinguished with time, the comments of this person do not matter, because you just do not love her/him anymore and therefore the comments are unimportant. Is this what you mean?
sorry Rosemerry, forget about the first answer to this comment. I just misunderstood the whole situation…it´s just about learning how to interact with painful comments, actions from other people, which you are not used to. So I think here it is a good think to habe no need of a wall anymore and opening!
Amen!
Watch my TEDx talk The Art of Changing Metaphors: TEDX Rosemerry Trommer
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
970-729-1838
wordwoman.com
From: “comment-reply@wordpress.com” Reply-To: Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 6:19 PM To: Rosemerry Trommer Subject: [A Hundred Falling Veils] Comment: “Baring It”
this poem says so much, thanks 🙂
thank you for reading it!
my pleasure, that’s an impressive resume!
So true and so well put 😌
thank you … sometimes there truly is grace
Hello
Often there is if we only look for it 🌹
amen.
once she could hurt me
but no more
now there is only sadness
for my younger
is this grace
Reblogged this on emmapalova and commented:
Of building tolerance and grace.
This. It was beautiful.
thank you!
It’s amazing
thank you!
Very powerful
thank you!
Like your post, its called apathy at its finest…I will apply this in my dealings with my “personal mosquitoes”..
i wonder if it’s apathy … perhaps yes. there’s a bit of opening in it, whereas apathy feels a little shut down? well, maybe it’s splitting hairs … perhaps it is the best of apathy. 🙂
This poem hit home. Beautiful.
thank you …
good poem… and well, you know, time will take everything … it makes me think that I am blessed. Thankyou…
wishing you more blessings!
This is why I love writing💛💛💛
it does help us see things, yes?
Nice poem
thank you!
Yassss
yasssss!
Oh, I loved this. I’ve been bitten so many times, but yes, I know this feeling of being able to look over at your biter and not be bothered by them anymore, and that little feeling is so much more powerful than all of their little bites.
you say this so well! yes… there is a sweet juice in that overcoming!
This is beautiful 💝
Thank you for reading it!
Inspiring.. I came across this and felt like this poem was a message I needed to hear at this exact moment. Thanks Rosemerry!
you’re welcome! Thank you for reading it, for sharing your resonance! Wishing you continued grace!
This is so good omg
thank you, Esther!
This post was amazing ❤️
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This is very much true and a very smart metaphor to the obstacles and negativity we face in life.
thank you! I was delighted, too, when it showed up and made so much sense to me then …
I feel the same way
I’ve been bitten by someone as well. I love this. I have laughed at someone who taught I still loved him. He forced me to admit. I kept laughing and I was so angry already as he won’t let me walk away.
yes, it can be complex!!
We just need to chill.
Great point.
Watch my TEDx talk The Art of Changing Metaphors: TEDX Rosemerry Trommer
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
970-729-1838
wordwoman.com
From: “comment-reply@wordpress.com” Reply-To: Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 12:31 AM To: Rosemerry Trommer Subject: [A Hundred Falling Veils] Comment: “Baring It”
Reblogged this on Cleaning Service in the Stockholm.
So relatable😍
thank you for reading it!
Lovely
thank you!
No one can ever truly comprehend just how satisfying that triumph is in that moment unless you’ve gone through it as I have…. this poem definitely helps others understand that though. I love it! It’s amazing!
thank you for reading it and for sharing your common experience. Yes, it’s astonishing. exhilarating!
I love this! Speaks a lot of people’s truth. Beautiful poem
thank you for reading it!
Beautiful piece right there, and it just illustrates the fact that whatever we train ourselves to endure becomes a norm no matter how tough.
we are remarkably resilient, yes …
Nice work!
thank you!
Beautifully written. ❤️
thank you, little sparrow!
very nice!
thank you!
I love this and I can relate. What a beautiful piece of writing.
thank you, Eleni!
I reconcile with this on a really emotional level… One thing though while your tolerance builds up on its own it also helps to pursue a passion. If you have watched the movie 500 Days of Summer you see at there that our protagonist (Tom) starts recovering after he began pursuing his passion which is architecture. Mine is tobacco for now… I used for now because passions also change yours could change too… So basically pursue a passion to recover and build a tolerance… At least that is my two cents…
I think that is a great point! pursing a passion can totally help create the right environment for healing!
I am definately re-blogging, your thoughts are really, very deep.
thank you!
Reblogged this on blog.salvusappsolutions.
Beautiful..simply beautiful👌👌
thank you!
This is awesome!
thank you!
Very well..👍
thank you!
V..nice
thank you!
U’ welcome
Wow!! What an amazing poem!!
It’s so sad that a tolerance have to be built in order for the itching to cease. Yet, there are many others out there who does not need to have a tolerance up. They just don’t care. I deeply admire that!
it’s so sad that there are biters out there!!
wonderful
thank you!
Amen! This is so true
thank you for reading it!
This is stunning! Thank you so much for sharing this! ,3
thank you for reading it!
Great one !!!
thank you for reading it!
Oh wow amazing
thank you for reading it!
Not only tolerance, but strength. Give yourself credit. You are stronger than you think. What a good feeling that must have been for you. Beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing it. I can hear it came from inside you.
thank you, yes, strength, too …
i need some explanation on the fourth stanza lol
thanks for responding and for asking … i just mean that metaphorically speaking, i was concerned i wasn’t prepared to not get bitten (I wasn’t wearing long sleeves, I hadn’t built up a wall to keep myself from not getting hurt). But even so, it didn’t hurt after all … did that help?
thank you that was super needed!! loved the poem btw 🙂
The indifference you create after suffering more than enough.
Beautiful poem!
thank you for reading the poem, for responding!
This is so good 💙💙
thank you for reading it!
Check out my memes
kudos. This sort of tells a story and evokes imagery. A good poem, glad I found it 😉
thank you, yes, there is a story in it, or even two … thank you for reading it!
A sub narrative analogy I would have said 😉
Its soo good and thanks for these gracious words
thank you for reading it!
Wow, profound, what a beautiful piece. I showed some friends and they remarked on the depth of this.
this is really good, please follow my blog for similar poetry if you’re interested x
I like the flow and metaphor’s continuity.
Thank you! Thank you for reading it …
I’ve been bitten so much, my body turned the venom into medicine!
Wonderful!
I think I should read this to my grandma. She is gonna love it, because I loved it too. Isn’t it true that over years we develop tolerance to the things that bothered us most at some times. It is beautiful yet perplexing.
thank you … i love thinking of you reading a poem to your grandma! here’s to perplexing beauty!
Well it indeed is a great poem.
You can check my not-so-great posts on my blog and maybe give me some feedback.
Thank you for sharing it
Thank you for reading it!
This is great! Awe the feeling of not feeling it anymore, thanks for sharing!
the feeling of not feeling it! so well paradoxically put!
This is so amazingly deep , Respect 👌🏻
Thank you so much for reading it!
Thank you for giving us the honor of sharing it with
Oh! Beautiful poem!!
thank you for reading it!
Lovely poem but after 60 years of living in South Florida I must respectfully disagree. Tolerance to those tiny nuisances never actually happened for me. Perhaps it’s me but I would also find a difference shopping aisle or even store. Just me or worse perhaps who we are becoming. I hope not.
I know! It isn’t likely, as I said in the poem, but it happens. Here’s a link: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-few-tips-on-mosquito-bites-2013-7
Wishing you the best as we continue to deal with all that bites.
In love with this
This was beautiful❤
thank you for reading this
Love this!
thank you for reading it!
I absolutely loved this!
thanks for reading it, Kooky Chic!
Very true, excelent poem
thank you for reading it!
Beautiful ❤️ I hope I lose the itch soon
the darn itch … i hope one day soon you notice it just doesn’t itch anymore.
This is really good!
thank you–I’m grateful you read it!
This is such a beautiful expression, you must be clueless about how much hope it gave me. 🙂
Thank you!
what a great comment, thank you! Here’s to hope!
That is sooo amazing piece of writing!! 😃😃✨✨ Beautiful!
Keep writing! 😉
Thank you! I am grateful for your comment!
r
Watch my TEDx talk The Art of Changing Metaphors: TEDX Rosemerry Trommer
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
970-729-1838
wordwoman.com
From: “comment-reply@wordpress.com” Reply-To: Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 10:16 AM To: Rosemerry Trommer Subject: [A Hundred Falling Veils] Comment: “Baring It”
[…] via Baring It — A Hundred Falling Veils […]
Sometimes people get bitten by the harsh words…
exactly so …
Nice one! Keep it up. Love your piece. ❤
thank you, Sara!
Thank you so much for sharing this heart touching poem, sometimes tolerance could happen but forgetting would be impossible with all the memories and feelings, hopefully tolerance can lead to letting go gradually even if it took years to happen…
Judy. 🙂
Yes, Judy, I think you are so right. Not forgetting, but a letting go. It’s a wild resilience.
letting go what???????
Bad memories and life experiences.
this sounds good, thank you for answering!
Interesting …
thank you for reading it, Alice in poetland
Love this !!! It’s perfect
Thank you for reading it!
Love this… and have experienced it as well. What liberation when it comes
Liberation, that is the perfect word. Yes, thank you for it.
It’s so liberating somehow…
exactly so!!
What a beautiful piece!
thank you for reading it!
It’s very good!
This was awesome! I especially loved the last two stanzas
Thank you! Yes to the liberation, the ability to be vulnerable when before we thought it impossible!
From: “comment-reply@wordpress.com” Reply-To: Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 12:46 AM To: Rosemerry Trommer Subject: [A Hundred Falling Veils] Comment: “Baring It”
I know the mosquito bite is a metaphor but didn’t quite get the poem. Is it rekated to the indifference that you gradually develop towards pain(not physical).
thanks for asking! Is it indifference? Perhaps. I think it is more a grace, a strength that allows us to be even more vulnerable. That was the point of being able to walk around with bare arms, bare heart … no need to protect ourselves so assiduously anymore. How does it happen? Well, practice? Making peace with it? Losing our sense of expectation/longing that things will be different than the way they are.
Does this help?
Absolutely. Thanks for explaining. I feel it is the strength we develop and confidence we get as an aftereffect of coping our own agonies and getting out of them. Very well put up. 🙂
Love it. Gives me hope.
thank you! here’s to hope, and even more so to healing
Beautiful❤🔥
thank you for reading it!
I really enjoyed reading this!
thank you!
The timing was just so perfect. I had to read this now. Glad yu stated all the emotions and feelings of dismay in such a manner.
It’s amazing how what we need will find us at just the right time! Thanks for reading the poem!
Sure thing. Glad to hav stopped by
I love this. I keep trying to convey to my teenage children that nothing hurts so much as when you are young and raw, with no defences or clear sense of self. I love getting older and just not giving a fig.
so true … and so hard to believe when you are not in that place.
Well written 🙂
thank you for reading it!
Nice poem.
thank you for reading it!
Speaking. Directly. To. Me. THANK YOU. ❤️
thank you, Jess, for sharing that with me, for joining in this conversation
Well written 🙂
thank you!