Fragility

Fragility Mar 2021

Expectations are like puppet strings
Hooking around limbs,
Pulling tighter and
Tighter until you
Can’t breathe
Can’t move
Anymore.

Expectations are like a burden to carry
So heavy, so tiring,
But you can’t put it down,
For the fear of dissatisfaction
So you keep carrying it
Until your arms and legs break
Under the pressure.

Crushed dreams are like the pain after the shock
When you crash to the ground
Hoping that it’s all a bad dream
Hoping that you’ll wake up soon.

But it’s not
And it will never be
And the more you try to piece together shards of glass
The more your fingers bleed.

Fragility Jan 2021

Hatred

Hatred is a smoke-screen, blurring sight, thoughts, decisions.
Hatred is a living thing, whispering thoughts in your ear.
Hatred is a shadow, forever there, always inevitable.
Hatred is a poison, planting seeds of scorn, envy.
Hatred is a burden, a monster on your back.
Hatred is a weight, dragging you down
the spiral, the cycle of scorn, regret
but realise that a spiral goes
on forever and ever. A
spiral will never
bring you
to an
end.

Fragility Jan 2021

Human

There was once someone who asked me who I was.

I am life, I say. I am joy and tears,
I am wilful blindness and cunning innovation.
I am white, I am black, I am light, I am dark,
I am flesh and meat and blood and bone.

I am ambition and laziness and deception and trust,
I am work and labour and pain.
I am broken promises, words yet spoken,
I am generous and selfish, wise yet a fool.

I am human.

Fragility Jan 2021

I bleed

Your words brush off my shoulders
For I am iron
I am unbreakable.
But not unscathed.

I bleed,
Bleed until there is nothing left
Behind a blank mask.
“It’s fine, I’m alright,” I say.
I lie.

We all do.

Fragility Jan 2021

Tears

When you were there, the sky was blue.
You were my universe, my all, my everything.
You caught me when I fell, comforted me,
Nursed me back to health.

But I should have seen that
You should have been on the bed
I should have been at your bedside.

Your tears traced lines into your cheeks
As you closed your eyes to me.
You never opened them again.

I am alone.

And I think
That your sad smiles,
Your pain
Carved a million scars deep into my soul.

When you were there, the sky was blue.
But now that you’re not, nature’s tears run down the streets.

Fragility Jan 2021

Dreams

Dreams are a scene
Glimpsed behind
A wall of glass,
So close
So colourful
But not real.

Dreams are a painting
Crafted by
A gentle touch,
An escape
An illusion
But not real.

Dreams are a nightly terror
Tainted with darkness
A touch of fear,
Dreading night
Dreading sleep
But still failing.

Dreams are unpredictable
Follow them down
A rabbit hole,
A torment
A delight
Let unconsciousness decide...

Fragility Jan 2021

Secrets

A whisper,
A glance.

Their eyes are like hooks
Latching into my soul
Demanding for secrets.

I come to you
You, my bedrock
But I see guilt
I see scorn

And I understand.

A whisper,
A glance.

— The End —