Brief Autobiography of Girl as Reader of Novels in Verse
Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red is the third novel in verse I have read. The first was a book called What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones which I either found at a Goodwill which has since been replaced by a gym no one asked for or the Ollie’s that was next to said Goodwill-turned-gym. I then read the sequel called What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know by the same author. The books didn’t particularly stand out or change my life in any meaningful way, but they were pretty fun and easy to read with simple narratives. The characters were likeable, relatable, and quite charming actually. I don’t recall any real details because I believe I read these books back when I was in middle school, but I remember both books reading like regular YA contemporaries with line breaks.
Autobiography of Red, however, has been different.
Not only is the budding relationship between Geryon and Herakles compelling, but the writing is so lush, gorgeous, and evocative. Due to extraneous factors, such as my constantly roving mind and shifting literary interests (I had a brief obsession with essay collections recently, but I am returning to poetry since I am finally entering the beginning stages of compiling a collection) as well as my return to school and assigned readings such as Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain are now taking precedent, I have yet to return to the book, but I have allowed it to simmer, so to speak, within me. The elegance of the language, the flowing narrative, Geryon and his tragic history…I am allowing it all to rest for a little while. I want to savor the reading experience.
Although I have yet to finish Autobiography of Red, it has inspired me creatively and I produced three poems based on Anne Carson’s narrative with my own spin and characterization of Geryon and Herakles. My poems are not necessarily continuations or expansions; I would personally consider the following poems to be more akin to reimaginings. “The Girl from the Red Place” is told from the point of view of an invented character who has no name, but a (platonic) relationship with Geryon. “Self-Portrait as Geryon” is less about the myth of Herakles and Geryon or Anne Carson’s version and more so about Othering. “Geryon Speaks” is the last poem and it adopts an imagined voice of Anne Carson’s Geryon, but he is a Geryon who, in the words of Warsan Shire1, belongs deeply to himself.
The Girl from the Red Place
I. I have lived here my whole life Everything is red The birds the trees the boys the girls the sky the sea I was born without wings but Geryon did not mind His wings were the most beautiful a red so dark I thought they were black but I needed to come closer to see the red truth II. A man appeared on the shore one dull red day III. Geryon was the only one brave enough to go down there I stayed behind I should’ve gone I should’ve gone but I stayed behind like a red coward I shouted Geryon but he did not reply His little red dog followed me as I walked down to the red shore Red rocks pierced my bare red feet and I bled the whole way down IV. The ocean was screaming Red waves warred and broke against each other I thought of Geryon and his hands all the way down Red vultures gather in a wake around a corpse I see a man on his knees beside the sea The water like blood staining him V. Geryon’s little red dog runs to him Chases the vultures away They flee at the threat of teeth Geryon’s body is red and unmoving His eyes open and unblinking His wings curled in on himself like arms holding him close I don’t know where his wounds begin or end Everything is red VI. Someone screams The man looks at me His eyes are like long wails The ocean is throwing up sea foam It is red like everything else I don’t know what is bleeding and what is not I don’t know what is bleeding and what is not I don’t know what is bleeding and what is not VII. Geryon is bleeding Geryon is dying Geryon is dead VIII. Herakles is a hero Herakles is a hero Herakles is a hero IX. I am no one I am no one I am no one
Self-Portrait as Geryon
My eyes are red like blood my skin my hands I even dream in shades of red My wings are a red so dark one might call them black The human eye has failed so much Your kind sees monsters even in the dead bodies of children I know why you have come to me But you are not Herakles I see the way you tremble The blade is too heavy for you Why not set it down set it down set it down Somewhere Why not hold my hand instead I am a monster I know a monster when I see one You are a breed of shame You are full of it I can see you clearly What are you doing My blood is as red as my body my fingers my homeland Why do you need to see I am red everything about me is red I am telling you Why do you need to see Why do you need proof
Geryon Speaks
I am red. He does not like the color.
I like him. He likes my hands
even though they are red. He likes
what they do to him. I like
what he does to me. He wants
to leave the island. He needs
me to leave the island. His father
is coming. I have lived here my whole life.
My whole fourteen-year-old life2. I tell him
I can’t leave who I am. He says
Not even for me? I say
Not even for the gods.
The Warsan Shire quote goes: “I am a lover without a lover. I am lovely and lonely and I belong deeply to myself.”
These lines were inspired by a quote from Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.
so so beautiful, I am speechless about these. autobiography of red is one of my favorite books and you’ve captured and expanded on its intimacy so brilliantly
The portrait painted with red is unique. The imagery in some stanzas were tangible and a bit threatening tho.
But, I enjoyed it.