deepundergroundpoetry.com
Stumbling Definitions
He is tearing seams of childhood
duct taped together with adult.
He is unraveling beneath the adhesive
Bruised memories corroding last attempts at innocence,
justified behaviors plaguing blue skies.
You are bound agony
aching submission of hands held out empty.
These restraints have embedded
shifting tectonic ideals
where faith allowed one to comfort another.
You are caged screaming
as you watch him falter
a world’s weight mounted on thirteen year old shoulders
His hand reaching for aid
reaching as yours is slapped away.
Your feet are shackled from moving forward
ears stopped up by fear of man-made ambitions,
He has identified the dark shadows in your own heart
is seeking you out so that he can purge his
he trusts you, you are controlled to bury it
You are forced to stand in front with lessons and plans
while he bleeds out on the floor through smiles
He is fracturing from self-proclaimed faults,
your aid is buried under societal dictations
frights made in general persuasions –
how are you to teach if you cannot help?
You are required only to watch
as he dons paper thin armor
meant more to keep him together than to guard
and laws tell you, fear-filled humans tell you…
you must praise this shield
make him believe it will stop all of the bullets.
Why are these arms empty of hope?
Why must words be void of compassion?
You are equal lines of rust and decay,
heartbroken empathy
dancing on ink stained finger tips.
How dare they tell you to watch him fall
to splinter into coals of loneliness
your silence and distance fans out.
YOU ARE HUMAN
Legs meant for movement
arms meant for comfort.
You WILL take side to the world
he has mounted on his back.
You will kneel before him
pay witness to his monsters
extend the life-vest of your aid.
Dare they come to tell you not to!
duct taped together with adult.
He is unraveling beneath the adhesive
Bruised memories corroding last attempts at innocence,
justified behaviors plaguing blue skies.
You are bound agony
aching submission of hands held out empty.
These restraints have embedded
shifting tectonic ideals
where faith allowed one to comfort another.
You are caged screaming
as you watch him falter
a world’s weight mounted on thirteen year old shoulders
His hand reaching for aid
reaching as yours is slapped away.
Your feet are shackled from moving forward
ears stopped up by fear of man-made ambitions,
He has identified the dark shadows in your own heart
is seeking you out so that he can purge his
he trusts you, you are controlled to bury it
You are forced to stand in front with lessons and plans
while he bleeds out on the floor through smiles
He is fracturing from self-proclaimed faults,
your aid is buried under societal dictations
frights made in general persuasions –
how are you to teach if you cannot help?
You are required only to watch
as he dons paper thin armor
meant more to keep him together than to guard
and laws tell you, fear-filled humans tell you…
you must praise this shield
make him believe it will stop all of the bullets.
Why are these arms empty of hope?
Why must words be void of compassion?
You are equal lines of rust and decay,
heartbroken empathy
dancing on ink stained finger tips.
How dare they tell you to watch him fall
to splinter into coals of loneliness
your silence and distance fans out.
YOU ARE HUMAN
Legs meant for movement
arms meant for comfort.
You WILL take side to the world
he has mounted on his back.
You will kneel before him
pay witness to his monsters
extend the life-vest of your aid.
Dare they come to tell you not to!
Published 6th Nov 2013
| Edited 7th Nov 2013
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 3
reading list entries 0
comments 4
reads 845
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
6th Nov 2013 9:33pm
S7 is pure gold. This seems like a vent, but addresses a massive lack of compassion in a society where helping others is merely a publicity stunt and most genuine empathy is seen as weakness. In the first stanza I think the correct spelling is duct taped (had me a bit confused at first) and in the last stanza you could maybe do with one less exclamation mark and clarification on the last two lines, it seems a bit off. All in all, very good commentary piece.
Thank you for pointing those things out. I wish there wasn't such a distaste for comfort and empathy. How do we learn to accept comfort if we are not first given it? Learning to give that comfort often stems from witnessing it being given. It is sad that it something to fear instead of something to encourage, especially in our school systems.
7th Nov 2013 1:24pm
I remember a few years ago, idiotic blowhards like Glenn B & Rush L were railing against the concept of empathy, the very word itself. What does that tell you? A sad commentary on our society. The common reasoning is that empathy is tantamount to being a doormat. 'Tis a lot of tough-guy posturing. Believe me, it's a lesson I've had to learn myself. Harshly. I used to reject the arms of comfort & understanding, too. I wanted to be made of stone, but I learned, nigh too late, that I am not. No human is. Such masculine pride is often a "paper-thin armor", indeed, "meant more to keep together than to guard"...(for me, this line was the most striking part of this. I identified immediately.) Do not let him fall. Try, at the very least. I was lucky enough to see the light & feel its warmth. Not everyone is so fortunate.
One small nitpick...it's "DUCT taped", not "DUCK taped"...no animal cruelty, please, the ducks deserve to go about their business, tape-free :)
One small nitpick...it's "DUCT taped", not "DUCK taped"...no animal cruelty, please, the ducks deserve to go about their business, tape-free :)
7th Nov 2013 4:14pm
Lol thank you, I will fix that. I have no intention of letting him fall. He is one of my students, I will fight tooth an nail for him to be heard.
