Such is life…
a series of bandages
across wounds that swallow you whole.
Breathing beneath this gauze of disappointments
that feel like cotton – warm and comfortable,
familiar to my heart.
My tongue is dry from these salts,
and still I lick each grain that’s poured.
What is this taste I have for bitter ends?
There is no wallow.
Far from the steps of pity’s invitation,
I sit on solemn hill, biting back the betrayal of seepage.
It’s not about pride, it’s about tomorrow.
I will not disgrace the newness of dawn
with traces of dusk on my face.
Survival needs grace to smooth its edges,
and all of mine are sharp with these
riotous remnants rushing to the surface.
These evils clamor to ooze from
who I am trying to be, so I bind them up with rags
and drape my skin in silken sheets.
They stand there with their needles – not knowing,
lofty threads make for ill-conceived stitches,
and who wants the prick of growing pains?
Patches suit me fine.
When ready, I’ll peel back and re-examine
the transformation of these contents.
Or perhaps,
I’ll just lick these wounds, cover them,
and resolve that this is the earth of my soul.
Nik's Place 
Story of my life. I guess everyone can relate to it
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Some of us more than others. 🙂
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Thank you WeaverGrace! I have to tell you that the manure analogy made me chuckle… Today was one of those days in which the plant food was abundant! Lol
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I, too, love the “sound” of your poems. This one especially speaks to me, especially the idea of wounds being the earth of the soul. I’m inclined to say that the manure of life is plant food for our growth. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
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last four stanzas are amazing. i will need to re-read this later and let my thoughts fully percolate to truly appreciate this writing.
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Thank you so much!
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This gets better every time I read it. Gives me so much to think about. Love the use of alliteration throughout, especially stanza 6 with “riotous remnants rushing”. Then that leads into more alliteration, and lovely imagery, of “my skin in silken sheets” – really helps build up a lot of impact later with “Patches suit me fine.” I adore this poem.
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I love your feedback. I also love that my style of writing reaches out to you. I have a very specific affinity for alliteration and I always “see” multiple metaphorical images in my mind when describing a feeling or condition. The challenge is selecting ones that make sense to others… who can’t see all the crazy ways in which my mind works (along with the experiences that help color my frames of reference). 🙂 I love talking shop, so your dialogue is much appreciated and always welcome! Have an awesome day!
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It definitely shows that you select your words and phrasing with great care and purpose. Yes it helps to make the images accessible to others but sometimes I find myself writing for an audience of one – myself. And frequently that is rewarding as well.
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Lol… yep, me too. That’s the stuff that leaves people scratching their heads while you get that one like from someone who likes the fact they have no idea what you’re talking about, which boosts its “complexity” factor.
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