Backwoods

by silvershoes   May 6, 2021


I thought it was complacency
Stole my passion for the dramatic
But is it complacent, this clenching fist in the hollow of my chest
Hallowed land that you walked in made permanent in time
Impermanent like the wind, which hits so hard here
He used to say, the wind means God is happy
But how could he revel in so much loss
How could he shine his smile on this desolation that is the landscape of my heart
I stand, swaying, arms folded across my body like somehow I can protect myself from what’s already been done
I sit, rocking, arms grasping my shoulders, fingers clawing blades, like spears piercing the grass you touched
The home you touched
The home that is hardly a home without you

    report violation
5


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Latest Comments

  • 4 years ago

    by Keira Pickard

    The questions you've asked throughout this are two things : heartfelt, and impossible to answer.
    All of this is so powerfully written. There are some lines that resonated best with me, but the final one was definitely my favourite. When someone has left a home - whether the cause was dying, arguments etc - it feels empty. And, personally, I felt that this wasn't just about a home. It was about life, ' home ' being a metaphor for it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I felt there was maybe a bigger meaning.

    I sit, rocking, arms grasping my shoulders

    ^^ this stuck out to me, because it's an extremely accurate description of someone who is unhappy. I always do it when I'm nervous. I think it's a subconscious way of mentally 'pacing a room', a way to relieve stress. It's funny how moving takes your mind off things.
    Anyway, I'm glad to see it nominated. A really touching piece :)

  • 4 years ago

    by BOB GALLO

    It is lovely Jane. Such genuine questions.

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