literature

Poetry's Stories: Sarah Kay's A Love Letter From a Toothbrush to a Bicycle Tire (With My Reply)

10:23 AM



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Sarah Kay is one of my favorite poets since she is just awesome (goose bumps included). She uses simple words to imply thought- provoking meanings. I also love the way she delivers her spoken poetry (and BTW, she’s the one who introduced me this kind of poetry). She is full of soul and her heart reveals itself thru the words she speaks. As if her poem mirrors the entirety of her. That’s why she always leaves the audience in awe every time she delivers poetry in front (fact, I think). She knows how to capture the hearts of people by how she talks to them in rhyme and rhythm. She is an inspiration to a lot of people, especially to people who love poems and write them.
Now enough of her and let’s talk about the poem I’m about to share. I personally love this poem, and I hope you will when you read it. Without further ado, here it is.

A Love Letter from a Toothbrush to a Bicycle Tire
Sarah Kay

They told me that I was meant for the cleaner life, that you would drag me through the mud. They said that you would tread all over me, that they could see right through you, that you were full of hot air, that I would always be chasing, always watching you disappear after sleeker models, that it would be a vicious cycle.

But I know better. I know about your rough edges and I have seen your perfect curves, and I will fit into any spaces you let me. If loving you means getting dirty, bring on the grime, I will leave this porcelain home behind. I’m used to twice a day relationships, but with you, I’ll take all the time. And I know, we live in different world and we’re always really busy.

But in my dreams, you spin around me so fast I always wake up dizzy. So maybe one day you’ll grow tired of the road and roll on back to me. And when I blink my eyes into the morning, your smile will be the only thing I see.




My thoughts about it:

The poem is striking since it uses contrast to impact meaning. We know that no matter what happens, a toothbrush and a bicycle tire cannot exist in the same world. That got me thinking why she used these objects of the many which can be used, right? That’s when I realized that these two symbolize a man (a tooth brush is firm and straight) and a woman (a tire is soft and circle). It is in connection with the notion of unrequited love which is very rampant in movies or stories since long, long time ago. The cliché story of a poor girl (that you would drag me through the mud) who fell in love with a rich guy (They told me that I was meant for the cleaner life). The guy confesses his love and fights for the girl and is ready for any consequences of that forbidden love of theirs.
If loving you means getting dirty, bring on the grime, I will leave this porcelain home behind.  (This is such a very catchy line. I wonder if this happens in reality. Hmm.)

In the poem, the natural tendency of man to be polygamous is also highlighted by the line, I’m used to twice a day relationships. (Man is polygamous by nature. I think we can’t argue with that, can we?) However, there’s always an exception to every rule, I guess. That’s why this line was followed by a romantic promise of the guy, but with you, I’ll take all the time. (It seems that guys love to give “sweet nothings” to girls—to quote my professor..lol) He also hopes that the girl would eventually choose him in the end, as supported by the line, So maybe one day you’ll grow tired of the road and roll on back to me. And when I blink my eyes into the morning, your smile will be the only thing I see. (Aaah.. Isn’t that sweet?)

For me, the message is clear: Their worlds will never collide and they’ll remain far apart; no matter how much they love each other. They are meant to live different lives and they should leave it at that. But it’s romantic to think that the guy will really wait for the girl and is very hopeful that someday, they’ll share same bed and look at each other’s smile. (Oh no..! Ants are approaching. Sweetness!)


Here is my poem in response to this:


A Love Letter from a Bicycle Tire to a Toothbrush
Joanna Lañojan

Yes, you are meant for a cleaner life
While I am to get dirty
Running in circles in this unending road
And you, you will never survive the
Dirt and dust and the polluted air
That I breathe;
Which keeps me alive.
Yes, they could see right through me
And they are right
I am full of hot air
I might burn you by a single look into my eye
And see for yourself
The reality that you try to escape.
Yes, it is a vicious cycle
Because you know that we
We will never be together
I will always live like this
Away from your clean and comfortable dwelling
No, you don’t know at all.
Yes, you may have seen my
Whole soul—my perfect curves and rough edges
But you are yet to discover for yourself
That it’s not who I am
That’s just how I pretend to be
Because I can’t let you
I can’t let you see what I really am
Dirty. Overused. Messy. Neglected. Unloved.
Nobody wants me except that
Rusty old bike on the next block

No, don’t make a promise of leaving
A world you used to have
Just for me
For sure, you will never take the grime
My world might bring you
For we are so different, so unlike
                                 So not meant for each other 

I am contented my the mere sight of you in my dream
The way you dance always makes me alive
And make me want to live
And hold on to this cruel life
For sure, I will get tired of this fast- paced existence
But I am afraid
That when I’ve decided to roll on back towards you
And give up everything for you
There might be another brush by your side
And I’m left at the thought of suicide



Alright. I hope you like my reply to Sarah Kay’s poem. That’s all for this post. Thank you for reading and have a great day ahead dearies! J

Thankies munchies,
Jong J

P.S.,
For more Sarah Kay poems and updates, check out her equally super awesome website HERE




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