Hollow Walls
She sits slumped over in that room
surrounded by tumbling-down walls.
She stares into the floor
as if it's going to rescue her.
She glares through naked windows
and imaginary doors
that would open if she tried,
but she's too afraid
to touch the handles.
She knits blankets with real tears
in the crevices.
She wraps the yarn
around the soles of her feet,
then pulls backwards..
she holds tightly
onto the thread
as if
someone else's hands
are trying to save her
from the hollow.
She closes her eyes.
It just feels too much like yarn.
She sits when she could stand.
She talks to stars
that already know her stories.
What she'd give to dance
a dance alone
under a sky
that doesn't know
her name yet.
Photography and words are mine - ©2018 serena matthews [me]
I grew up in the house you see here. This was taken as my family was in the process of tearing it down piece by piece, log by log, board by board, stone by stone, after my great-grandmother died. It was a safety hazard, but it had to be taken down delicately because it was a matter of respect. So much heart was there.
It may look like something different to you, but to me this will always be home. To me it it will always be the most beautiful place in the world.
Great piece, Serena. Also, that picture is unbelievable. I thought it was from a movie or staged somehow. Thanks for the poem and for sharing with us about your childhood home.
Thank you, @Veckinon! The sunset outside the window is from another of my photos, added there with photoshop, but other than that, the image is legit. ❤️:)
A beautiful photo and story, and a wonderful poem.
Your poem HAUNTS me
❤️❤️❤️
The sunset through that window above the stove is perfect. And what a beautiful poem, Serena. There is such magic in your words.
I'm just too inartistic to really get the hidden meaning in poetry, but this one I like :-) It's not so much "meaning" but much more of a "feeling" that reaches me when reading this. And it's not just the poem: that picture is Awesome! And gets you right into that emotion you get in the poem. I feel sadness, a sense of loss and fear, a wish to belong...
When you then close with:
I almost feel like I get it. Regardless: I say you just dance girl and keep those mental doors open! :-)
I appreciate the "yet" at the end. It's so calmly shoe-horned in and yet blatantly defiant. Yousa fiery mujer ;P