picture credit: here
shelves, anger, not tears came
as she recalls the stinging
lies, secrets spilling on floor
& smell of cigarettes
time didn't hold back-
lacquered skin became rust
& vows turned to chalk dust
what she thought was clear water
was painted in pouring darkness
wet, dawn comes as ghost
she flickers, smaller by lamp
light, until walking away
she's a black dot
the sky whites,
whiter than fading moon
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Black and white, where I am hosting, starting at 3 pm EST ~ Thanks for the visit ~
I was telling someone the other about how our wounds seldom heal because we never deal with them, letting them fester. And sometimes we dont have the strength but most times we live in avoidance until we blow up or it all boils up to the surface. I am glad hse had the reckoning, as it often opens the door to healing.
ReplyDelete...the other day...
Deleteegads.
This is actually based on the true story of my sis in law, who left the marriage after years of misery ~ I was reminded of it again when she visited us for two weeks and saw how happy and carefree she is once again ~ I think it takes a lot of courage to face the truth & move on ~ Thanks for the visit ~
DeleteWe can make our own misery but not dealing with what needs to be dealt with
ReplyDeleteall relationships can be tough at times. some must cease because the only route they take is progressively worse and love becomes hate. a fine line. we are all amateurs at this. all we can do is love when we can, surround ourselves with those we can that may provide us with some comfort in our hour of need. life is a journey of juxtaposed moments where the experience is rarely understood by emotions, which means chaos. the only constant of the universe.
ReplyDeletethis is not advice, just observation
good write. gracias for sharing
I think that dealing with relationships without dealing they often just falls apart. The image in the first stanza paint more lethargy than pain, and maybe that's the real trap, you get to bored to really deal with it.. until it fades away.
ReplyDeleteit takes a lot to face things that are painful to deal with and it takes a lot of courage to finally walk away when there's no hope left...
ReplyDeleteamazing and true Grace!
ReplyDeleteLike the perspective here, 'she's a black dot ' of our existence....
ReplyDeleteshe's a black dot... walking away, further away from the misery... bad relationships are tough to leave at times... that counts for friendships that aren't healthy as well. We get used to what's familiar, and that becomes our comfort..
ReplyDeleteHeart warming and really vivid piece dripping with emotions. Great piece!
ReplyDeleteIt strikes me that as she walked away from her ordeal she became no larger than a black dot, which seems to indicate that she felt very small. Sad when one's vows turn to chalk dust. Glad to hear she is much happier now.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the way she seems to remember and evoke the past as well as the way you describe the contrasts between what one expects from a relationship and what happened. I am not sure however if the black dot represents her now or before.
ReplyDeleteSo sad...
ReplyDeleteBut it is a good poem, Grace!
Hugs
JetteMajken
he probably did the right thing, as last, for her. I once asked my grandparents the secret to their 60+ years of matrimony, "We come from a generation that did not throw away things that were broken; we just repaired them." I like your internal rhyme lines /lacquered skin becomes rust/and vows turned to chalk dust/. Nice illustration of your prompt.
ReplyDeleteAnger never does one any good. As I read this, I hoped as she walked away she left the anger behind. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteI want to cry! Beautiful strong words and images in pure black and white.
ReplyDeleteMy golly, each stanza gets better - the rust, the ghost, shows what we can do with words when we want to - walking away, a black dot......what an eclipse...
ReplyDeleteI loved this prompt. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE these lines:
"lacquered skin became rust
& vows turned to chalk dust"
It was such a tragedy when two hearts did not make out. Things would be hell. Such a relief to see the happiness when the strings that bound had broken. Great lines Grace!
ReplyDeleteHank
Wonderful! The last stanza, especially: "until walking away she's a black dot the sky whites, whiter than fading moon" - Whew . . . goosebumps.
ReplyDelete"smaller by lamp light" .. a very strong poem, enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteWow...painful, powerful, eloquent write, Gace! Sometimes anger gives strength needed to walk away from shadows.
ReplyDeleteThe prompt lends itself so well to the tension within relationships as you have described so well. That last stanza is so effective.
ReplyDeletevows turned to chalk dust - how poignant
ReplyDeletedawn comes as a ghost - I guess that is all that remains old haunting memories or maybe they disappear with time like chalk dust washed away by the rain.
ReplyDeleteWonderful prompt. What a truly stark read - and how painful - she was turning into nothing because of the anger and pain. How I cheered as she was walking away. I thought a lot about that black dot - a period. And she as that black dot put an end to that misery. And her pain, like the chalk dust washes away and leaves it blank for her to start anew.
ReplyDelete... picked up strongly of you weaving the colours white and black into this poem ... and how nothing we experience is really neither white or black ... so what's left is grey, I guess ... I do not like guessing ... do not like grey ... me like: Yes or no ... white or black ... otherwise too bad so sad ... makes for a hard life, but a good life. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteStepping out of the shadows of the tragic past is never easy. It takes long process of gathering courage to completely move on. I'm glad she did move on for the better.
ReplyDeleteThe whole poem to me is like reading a Sonnet in a way you approached your theme & layered it. I particularly like how you build &/or express the emotional tension from the first & 2nd stanza then provided a clear resolution towards the end. A lovely experience to read your beautiful poem today, Grace, as always. Smiles.
I sometimes wonder why loss and pain seem to linger so much longer...
ReplyDeleteA nice use of the prompt... hope this is not your story, or the one of someone you love.
I could instinctively feel this one even before I read your explanation. And what struck me was the repeated use of the word 'white' - which we tend to associate with positive or at least happier things, and only one 'black dot'. But in this case the white is actually washing out her personality, her happiness, her self...
ReplyDeleteAh.. what beauty.. but prize of life..
ReplyDeleteWhen human darkness
black of gift..
Oh.. what left of light in
human whiteness.. when
vow of love..
is only beauty
prize.. of price
in black of
moonlit Night..:)
Some very powerful imagery that I enjoyed..."secrets spilling on floor" , "vows turning to chalk dust". The pain of a broken marriage bleeds through this piece for me as I can relate to some of it. It is empowering when you find yourself again after leaving the misery.
ReplyDeleteWow...well captured...I love how you textured it in black and white....
ReplyDeleteYou've dealt with a difficult subject in a very sensitive way, Grace, with some exceptional phrasing--beautifully done.
ReplyDeletethis and the next both plumb darker realms than I'm accustomed from you... ~
ReplyDelete