Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Voiceless # 105 Claine Keily

They told her
if she told the boy that the world had made dark
the same thing fifteen times over
that there should be no fear
of stabbings
but the room dripped with blood
and she went home voiceless

This ghetto had too many rooms
too much space
too many dark corners
for poverty to hide within

None answered
the slow students
with no home
where no mothers huddled
and where there were
no lampshades or teapots
to speak of

Afterwards
the teacher returned home
to become a shadow
in her apartment
against the aging carpet
where she could not pay her rent

12 comments:

  1. Don't know whether to say Wow or Woah - either way Voiceless really packs a punch - the room dripping with blood, going home voiceless, no lampshades or teapots, aging carpet, shadow 'play'. Powerful stuff Claine :)

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    1. The poem is based on a very disturbing experience I had that day! I had to write it out!

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  2. and the girl made of light
    come floating by
    never a word
    said she

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    1. and the boy of light was filled with laughter!

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  3. Always so good Claine, poignant, stunning in all the ways

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  4. Brutal final stanza

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    1. Thanks Stuart. The brutality of what I write about has alienated a fair few readers though!

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  5. the voice looks for rent
    instead finds a tear
    the offside of the heart


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  6. Aïe aïe aïe as we say in French when it hurts ...! powerfull "description" Claine! it leaves me breathless.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Beatrice. I was on the brink when I wrote it. I had to digest a lot of trauma!

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