Wilted
I offer joy,
you pick and choose
which petal to stroke,
which to pluck,
pitch upon the breeze
like confetti.
No celebration
as you tiptoe silently
upon darkness,
floorboards protest
as you whisper
of harm, of fright
and prune at will.
Delicate, I await mercy
to slant its veil
of filtered light,
cockcrow your retreat,
my stem bent,
color faded, wilted
but not broken,
not yet.
by Margaret Bednar, March 3, 2013
This poem is written for Imaginary Garden With Real Toad's is highlighting "Woman Scream - International Poetry Festival" This poem is definitely a "victim" poem, but I 'm sure if you follow the link, you will find many poems of victory and triumph over this horrific violence.
Also, this is Fiction - not written from any experience I have had... but I do know of a few who have endured violence of this sort...
It is also written for The Mag #158 - weekly image HERE.
There is a South African saying: "Strike a woman and you strike a rock". I wonder though how long any single person can take the abuse before breaking. Your image of a damaged flower is very moving.
ReplyDeleteVery sad. Not broken YET! Hopefully never. But..... A poignant and thoughtful poem!
ReplyDeletevery thoughtful and powerful poem
ReplyDeleteVery moving!
ReplyDeletewow. hang in there, unbeaten one!
ReplyDeleteTouching words !!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad for the glimmer of hope at the end. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThis part is stunning:
as you whisper
of harm, of fright
and prune at will.
Hi, Margaret... cockcrow your retreat... intriquing line... poignant piece.
ReplyDeleteThe moving story of a garden plant. Well done...
ReplyDeleteWilted but not broken..yet...what a poignant write from a victim's viewpoint..Thank you so much for sharing on such a difficult subject.
ReplyDeleteVery moving - not broken yet! We are so much stronger than we start out believing!
ReplyDeleteSuch a good piece and so apt a metaphor.
ReplyDeleteI like the metaphor of the flower, stem bent, color faded, wilted but not broken ~ Very lovely response ~
ReplyDeleteYou give us a view from the perspective of the victim. I cannot relate, but this give me a glimpse.
ReplyDeleteIn the garden, we find life's truths.
ReplyDeleteAh very nice, and in true love all is never broken...
ReplyDelete'not yet' I love that...just enough hope in it to believe she will get stronger and will be heard. I enjoyed the petal imagery very much as well. Nicely done Margaret! :-)
ReplyDelete"upon darkness,
ReplyDeletefloorboards protest
as you whisper
of harm, of fright
and prune at will."
You've captured the fear in a woman's heart truly in poetry. We all are wilted but not broken yet.
Plucking and casting petals about,
ReplyDeletevery interesting image. I can feel them- I know how they roll up, or pinch between fingers. I am glad you shed them without breaking-
I like 'wilted but not broken' - powerfully defiant.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and sad! ;D so well done!
ReplyDeleteI love how you wrote this Margaret~
Bravo
Very powerfully written with a glimmer of hope, Margaret. I'm so glad there is attention being given to this kind of violence right now and pray there will be ripples of change all over the world.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't mention but do I assume that is your image? If so, it's beautiful.
This is wonderfully written. Despite the sad tone, you've left us with hope. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteYou really captured the tension in this , thanks
ReplyDelete