with careless jokes & cruel taunts
your mouth a gun
your fists, bullets to my face
night was my only friend
& fear silenced my tongue
your arm a sword
your words, impaling my chest
it took me a long time
to look at myself in mirror & smile again
your mouth a gun
your fists, bullets to my face
invisible scars they remain
fears I'll always fight to the last of my days
your arm a sword
your words, impaling my chest
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub- OpenLinkNight - In support of Anti-bullying Awareness, October 2013 ~ Thanks for the visit ~
I have not experienced bullying but my children have. My two boys in their primary school fought outside the school premises in their uniforms. Good thing they were fearless fighters because the "bullies" never bothered them again. I only knew of these incidents afterwards. So I am now proactive with my youngest, a 14 year daughter. She is to tell us if anyone intimidates or teases her in school or in social media.
Picture credit: here
well put! highlights a significant problem. we must as adults also do some introspection at home as to how we communicate to each other and to our children and the affects of our words.
ReplyDeleteI agree ~ The nurturing starts at home ~ Gracias ~
DeleteWhat we say sure has a big affect on others and way to be too, they push, push back and they leave you alone.
ReplyDeleteIn some situations, it may work ~ I was lucky that my boys knew how to fight back ~
Deletesadly! I know about you talk my daugther was bulling at school some times and was terrible, terrible, I fight with many people but the school was terrible. Oh my Grace Im SO happy she isn't at school now but sometimes I feel she is hurt still:(
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear that Gloria ~ Perhaps she may need more counselling or time to deal with it ~ Take care dear ~
Deleteyour mouth a gun....we need to start looking at it that starkly....the arm a sword...maybe then we would not use them as carelessly....great points grace.....
ReplyDeleteThanks Brian ~
DeleteI was taunted with "little Korean girl" due to the haircut my dad used to give me. But then, I once tried to give a worm sandwich to a neighbor girl. It cuts both ways, sometimes...
ReplyDeleteYes it does. If ever I was teased though, I was oblivious to it all ~ Thanks M ~
DeleteGreat points...so hard ...bullying such a dangerous thing. :(
ReplyDeleteYes it is ~ Thanks Ayala ~
Deletewell said ... words can be weapons.. and just as harmful as fists... any kind of violence disgusts me....
ReplyDeleteWords are weapons ~ Thanks Robert ~
DeleteWords are weapons.. we all know that as poets. If they are used to fight injustices and cruelty the can shine bright. But word of cruelty and bullying are like black daggers in the night...
ReplyDeleteA very strong poem, Grace! "your mouth a gun / your fists, bullets to my face" - words are indeed as harmful as guns and bullets and can leave scars that take time to heal.
ReplyDeletemouth a gun - arms weapons... it's sad when we're doing this to others.. ugh... it's good to be proactive and talk to our kids about it cause sometimes they may be too afraid to even tell about it at home
ReplyDeleteVery full of feelings Grace. >KB
ReplyDeleteI do think that the scars of childhood bullying last into adulthood. They are never truly left behind, though the effects hopefully can be overcome with time and other people who are kind.
ReplyDeleteDamn. Speechless
ReplyDeleteThe repetition works. This is a powerful piece.
I agree the receptions made this powerful poem even stronger. Brava!
ReplyDeletethat words can't hurt, is the biggest lie... strong poem, Grace
ReplyDeleteSome things are difficult for parents to track down, to implement change; bullying must be one of them. Is the school & teachers partly to blame. When you pursue answers about why some kids tend to be bullies, the gray areas crop up like fungus; parents of bullies too often are bullies themselves, too arrogant & ignorant to communicate with. Solutions have to start with you talking with your own children, and then networking toward the crux of the problem; not an easy fix.
ReplyDeleteso painful, Grace. I keep thinking Love, Love, Love. Heal with words. Heal with Love.
ReplyDeleteBeing raised in an orphanage, I suffered the taunts of bullies for many years. Words are the most powerful weapon we have, and do irreparable damage in many instances, at the very least take a long time in healing. Excellent write..like the 'guns as bullets' 'sword impaling my chest'. so apt a description.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the personal share ~ I appreciate them ~
DeleteIt is so sad that so many don't seem to understand the power of words, how they can hurt as well as heal, break as well as banter. You did a great job of portraying the truth around this hard subject.
ReplyDeleteyou hurt me a long time ago
ReplyDeletewith careless jokes & cruel taunts
your mouth a gun
your fists, bullets to my face
Everything you've said here is powerful and heart-felt. I cried as I read every single line, your use of metaphors are amazing! I love this poem, thank you so much for writing this poem.
((Hugs))
Thank you for your courage to share your story ~ It makes it easy for others to share theirs too ~
DeleteMy eldest daughter experienced some bullying through school, she's a little different, just enough that kids picked up on it and occasionally picked on her. We told the authorities at school whenever she told us... but I am certain there were many times she didn't say a word. My heart hurts for her childhood and for all the kids and even adults who are bullied in subtle ways in the work place because they are "just enough" different.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to read this Laura ~ And I agree with you on adult bullying - this is something we have to fight against, including the mentality that they are "just enough" different ~
DeleteWords - worse than fists. Very well put.
ReplyDeleteEven if you haven't experienced it first hand, you were able to absorb its effect. These are touch poems to read, evoking memories for many of us.
ReplyDelete"your mouth a gun, your fists, bullets to my face"........often the words hurt far more than the blows........your poem captures this powerfully. I have been there, on the receiving end, way too many times. GREAT capture in this powerful poem.
ReplyDeleteTo be the receiving end is painful ~ Thank you Sherry ~
DeleteYour mouth a gun..that is powerful..I have been hurt my flying bullets as an adult..we all need to
ReplyDeletewatch what we say..as words are often more painful than a direct hit.
Very powerful capture. Loved the repetition. The line "invisible scars they remain" is absolutely perfect. :-)
ReplyDeletebullying ends when we clench our fist...
ReplyDeleteA certain mark is left on you forever... I sigh.
ReplyDeleteVery well-written.
-HA
OUCH! The refrains thrust out of the poem into our lives, be we bullied or bully. Words can break spirits, maybe less easily fixed than bones. Real harm, real scars, real effort to live fully after. Powerful poem.
ReplyDeleteI almost flinched reading your words~ Yes, words really do wound us and leave invisible scars~
ReplyDeleteWell Done-such a tough subject~
Thank you for your kind words, earlier!
Your poems always "click" well...but I liked best your Post-Script...good words to a 14-year old, she feels safe, and has a backup plan: STAY in contact with Mom!
ReplyDeletePEACE!
Oh I know how that feels - each stanza closed with a clenched fist. Bully behaviour is so hard to take, no matter your age. This is a very powerful write. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteYes, as others have commented, the repetition works well (perhaps mirroring the repeated taunts experienced).
ReplyDeleteYou have presented this so well Grace - I wish you well with your daughter, communication the key and bullying an unnecessary waste of breath & thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI see red whenever i hear some adult blandly saying "That's just part of growing up" or "Don't let it bother you." Or that tired old sticks and stones thing, or "No one can make you feel bad unless you let them." All of those are nonsense.
ReplyDeleteVery perceptive. The repetition of your refrains gives added power to your words--nicely done.
ReplyDeletesorry to hear this has affected your children. we all have a stake in speaking up
ReplyDeletePowerful piece and I love how you equate actions to weapons. Words do hurt.
ReplyDeleteYeah..words are swords and words are love..
ReplyDeleteLOVe is word..and swords are feelings2..
Language is an expression of the Universe..
and words are always sacred too...
Even letters..numbers..as all reflect the Universe2
or 3 or whatever may be what IS..
But only if people could see the true value of letters..numbers...
and words..
Poetry is certainly one path to love...the word..love2....
another...
That's the way. Get their confidence and they will keep us informed keeping it pro-active. Nicely Grace!
ReplyDeleteHank
Well written! About the tongue, the most dangerous weapon throughout time, the two edged sword. After all, a small comment, from a parent or others can lead to a life of self deprecation, and very sad lifestyles. Even accepting bullying as true. A lifestyle of deprecating remarks undermines many marriages under the guise of joking and "that is just the way we are" relating. Not so funny.
ReplyDeleteIt tears my heart out thinking of my children being bullied - or them being the bullies! I volunteer in my son's kindergarten classroom and I adore most of the children there - a few I wonder about, wonder about their home life - see a few signs that they might be the bullies in years to come (but now oh so precious) I want to change their path, but I only see them a few hours a week. Sigh.
ReplyDeletethe scars always remain....
ReplyDelete