boiling point

outrage
…….makes me tired

i know it’s not supposed to
i know i’m supposed
to stand up
for what i believe in
stamp my feet
bellow
charge

and some days i even
…….consider it

but then these words
fly at me in a barrage
of bellicose belief
…….misogynist
…….broken
…….war
…….fight
…….fix
…….heal
…….demand
and i find myself
turning my head
to dodge
meanings injected
with fortitude
…….and after a while
…….i tune it all out
…….all of it
…….word by word
…….letter by letter
…….bouncing hollow
…….because i just
…….don’t want
…….to fight
…….anymore

…….i want to stand here
…….in silence and sunshine
…….and breathe in
…….the moments of life
…….that still want to touch
…….my skin
…….and besides
…….i’m already
…….hot
…….all the time
…….already
…….bent
…….and so over
…….the differences
…….you vouchsafe
…….in all directions

…….and

…….no matter what you say
…….or how loudly you say it
…….i can still
…….hear the beat
…….of your

…….heart

.

.

.

A poem a day for 30 days.
In honor of National Poetry Month
,
this post is part of NaPoWriMo. see more here.
And also dVerse poets Open Link Night, join us!

28 Responses to “boiling point”

  • Anna Montgomery Says:

    I love it when poetry expresses something I’ve felt for a long while but haven’t been able to transmute from feeling or sense impression to language. Your eloquent, gorgeous poem does precisely that and now my life is enriched and expanded by it. Thank you.

  • claudia Says:

    nice hearing the beat of the heart through the words…you have to see deeper to be able to do this..

  • Pip Says:

    I feel the exact same way! I love this poem.

  • brian miller Says:

    sometimes we fight so passionately that we forget what passion we are fighting for…and for me in that break where you just stand…you find it once more…

  • Bajanpoet Says:

    This poem is so moving… intense emotion does tire me out … and this is beautifully written. I love it!

  • missing moments Says:

    Wonderful words today … life is so much more enjoyable now that I no longer battle imaginary wrongs

  • Louise Says:

    Wow…I can really feel your emotions in this…a strong write, Mrs M 🙂

  • laurie kolp Says:

    Packed full of emotion… and I LOVE the ending.

  • Pat Hatt Says:

    Yeah many a time we find the fighting for whatever it is controls us and consumes, forgetting why we even started.

  • Natasha Says:

    LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Stand tall, stand proud, and let’s talk about peace, love, acceptance, equality, relaxation and appreciation. Wonderful weave!

  • Felt Says:

    Been there.
    Burned that.
    Brilliant poem.

  • Stuart McPherson Says:

    ………wow……
    this is actually one of the best pieces I’ve read in a while- this spoke to me on another level- I know this feeling so well….those moments when you are just too tired and overwhelmed to answer- to fight back- even when you know you should- quite quite beautiful

  • Tino Says:

    The fight left me, I no longer have the stomach for it. Now, I stand where you are stood and enjoy my time with the ones I love.
    A truly moving piece that captures the tiredness felt by constantly fighting.

  • ayala Says:

    Strong and great write!

  • Aaron Kent Says:

    This spoke to me, the way words can really sting but it’s when they are soundtracked to the heartbeat of a loved one that they really start to hurt.

  • Samantha Webb (@unwornpoet) Says:

    This is superb, absolutely loved it. Could not be more relevant to me at the moment; I’m not designed for the fight!

  • Jannie Funster Says:

    You are one uber-enlightened sistah! With more of you in the world, we’d know no war.

    I’m all for giving up the fight, tuning out and facing the sunshine too.

  • henry clemmons Says:

    Oh, I like the aliteration and assonance, line work and word choices. I enjoyed the flow of this piece, especially when read out loud. Do we fight our not. Excellent topic that speaks to all of us at different points. I think I enjoyed the use of the letter B the most. An intriguing read.

  • hedgewitch Says:

    There is only so much one can care about–age winnows what matters pretty well. Your poem is about centering for me, about finding your own skin, and ‘the moments of life
    …….that still want to touch..’it–such good writing here. Thanks for expressing something so difficult to nail, so well.

  • Poetical Psyche Says:

    very strong. love the word vouchsafe. there does come a point, there has to right, where we just say no more. the beat of the heart is a strong way to end. Lots to like here but the two block type sections I tend to find the strongest. bellicose, barrage, dodge, inject- terrific sequence of words introduced. Great read. thanks

  • Semaphore Says:

    It’s amazing how much a poem can move you, when you have felt exactly that emotion before; how a poem can dredge up memories evoking a similar emotional response; extraordinary.

  • Ginny Brannan Says:

    no matter what you say
    “or how loudly you say it
    i can still
    hear the beat
    of your

    heart”

    Wow. Been here–the tired words thrown at the end of a long day. Most important thing is to realize that’s all they are, and remember the ‘heart’ that really exists behind them. Excellent capture!

  • Pat Byers (Tilda) Says:

    in my youth and aging decades, i kept silent. i was raised in the generation of no confrontation. no matter what. take it, keep silent. i am no longer silent. i stand my ground, i found my voice. now i will fight. it comes with a price, yes. but now i can face myself in the mirror. and others cannot reduce me any longer. it comes with age, i guess. whatever, i am glad i finally had the courage to embrace it and find that voice.

  • Myrna Says:

    This poem expresses something I’ve been feeling for some time. I love your last lines. We can still have love and compassion for those who chose to fight, to shout their opinions.

    I really enjoyed reading this.

  • Steve Shultz Says:

    “i want to stand here
    in silence and sunshine”

    I feel like this often. I love the flow and form of this poem.

  • Truedessa Says:

    I could really feel the power of these words as you were able to take the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions anger, resignation and hope.

  • Liz Says:

    oh my goodness. perfection.

  • Debi Says:

    this one has been a long time coming. you grew it to the perfect size before setting it free. perfect. perfect.

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