THE LOFTY SHADOW

February 7, 2022 at 4:25 pm (Scarriet Editors)

Men Who Never Grow Up: Peter Pan's Influence on Storytellers | Children's Literature Student Exhibitions
Growing up ruins everything.
Maturity's glittering ice
impresses for a while. 
A young woman, sweet and nice,
takes me into her confidence,
but it's the adult way.
She has a child's smile
but it's made for a future day.

The heat of sex ruins everything.
Real war replaces games of war.
Necessity replaces charm.
Study the once mysterious star
through lenses judging chemicals.
The greatest book of all is Peter Pan.
Something about when Wendy grows old
destroys me as a man.

4 Comments

  1. Unknown's avatar

    Anonymous said,

    February 7, 2022 at 6:25 pm

    I don’t like the remarks about Wendy growing older destroys you as a man. Aging applies to both genders not to just women. Men become more set in their ways and whiny, depressing and impotent incompetent lovers. Stop your sexist attitudes

    Reply
    • noochness's avatar

      noochness said,

      February 8, 2022 at 2:12 am

      Yes, older gents may erection-wise doze,
      But their cuntlapping skills can elicit big Os!

      Reply
    • thomasbrady's avatar

      thomasbrady said,

      February 8, 2022 at 2:19 am

      The poem was not written to point out that women age and men don’t—that’s totally absurd. It just so happens in the poignant story to which the poem alludes, Peter Pan and Wendy have an adventure and then Wendy goes back to her life and ages. The poem’s intent was never to compare the sexes. Of course it’s your right to read the poem any way you choose, but I hope others will not read it that way.

      Reply
  2. thomasbrady's avatar

    thomasbrady said,

    February 8, 2022 at 2:27 am

    The poem also has nothing to do with men and women as lovers. The theme is simply stated in the first line. The “smile” of the young woman is to lure the narrator into having children (“future day”) but this is not the woman’s “fault;” it’s just life. The poignant sadness of human aging is the sole idea of the poem.

    Reply

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