February 16, 2013

10,000 holes


10,000 holes in the wall aren’t enough
to cover the cracks you left
when you smashed at walls—
the walls you thought kept you out
when you forgot they kept you safe

stock photos—
paper thin slices of someone else’s imagination
stuck inside rectangles of oak and birch
behind brittle glass—
of happy families
puppies in baskets
chubby kittens on satin pillows
and a strange shot of a baby chick
wearing a headband with pink stars
stare blankly back

10,000 nail holes aren't enough
to hold the frames
that cradle the photos
to hide the crack you made
when you smashed the walls—
the walls you thought kept you out
when you forgot they kept you safe

another hole
10,001  
so a frame might cover
another tentacle of the crack
racing from floor to ceiling
stretching finger-like...
plaster heart in a splintered cast

19 comments:

Brian Miller said...

dang...that last line...the whole thing is chock full of emotion...ugh on all the cracked walls...and trying to cover them with pictures of another family...made me think of that eminem song...cant think of the title right now...felt verse though...

razzamadazzle said...

There is such tragedy here, sadly too often there are cracks in the family. Nicely done.

Lynn said...

Wow - that's powerful and moving. Yes - full of emotion.

mypoeticpath said...

Yes, very powerful words. So often the case, what goes on behind close doors...never the same as the picture others often perceive.

You are truly gifted Talon.

Cloudia said...

nuclear emotions!



ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3

Lorraine said...

Sometimes like now, you leave me, speechless...

hedgewitch said...

Really, one of my favorites of yours I've ever read Talon. Each word is well-chosen for a devastating effect-- and I think we've all been there with someone. I know I have, at least.

Joy said...

I *love* it..each time I read, I feel something new. Overall I think this might be why I don't hang photos..and why I often feel quite vulnerable as I move through World...

Patricia said...

I am traveling this weekend and have paused to read these words 3 times on my cell phone, but I could not reply or comment as connection would come and go - vanish around mountain curves and snowy wind...but then the valley held sunshine and we saw the people pruning apple orchards for miles and the birthday girl awaits her gift...just as dramatic as the words; just as powerful as the emotions found tucked in here...we hear
Thank you for sharing

Tumblewords: said...

Profoundly moving, tragic and more common than we'd hope.

Magyar said...

__Cracks in the wall, deeper than that which is seen, K. Lovit!
... "thin slices of someone elses imagination"... can reanimate and add directivity to another's vision.

__I, in one of my scribble books, have a short story. The 'Nails' therein, are a metaphor that refers to we 'People' that hold our civil framework together__ unseen, and without reward.
_m

Cloudia said...

pixelated multivariate of verse



ALOHA from Honolulu!
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3

Granny Annie said...

This is a cut and paste response just to let you know I enjoyed your post. (Still issues with carpal tunnel and trigger finger.)

Teri Casper said...

Awesome poem! Just awesome!

G-Man said...

Talon...
So this is what you've been doing during your blog Hiatus?
Coming up with pensive little pieces of emotion like this...
You are such a gift!!

Snaggle Tooth said...

I remember when I used to plaster my bedroom walls with all manner of images, tho most were ones I made. My Parents flipped out on me because of the tape on the paint, so I switched to thumbtacks...

My brother got a black light, painted the entire room black, then used fluorescent neon colors to draw cartoons of crazy stuff all over the room! My parents stopped complaining at me-

Had a friend who hung tapestries over the hole wall for those kind of cracks...

ayala said...

Heartfelt, intense and honest. I felt this.

anthonynorth said...

Great words, and I love that last line.

Linda said...

Intense, powerful, emotional and tragic. How do you do it?