Iphigene here!
It’s been a while since I last had my presence felt in Gathering Books. I’m still hibernating from blogging, surfacing from hibernation once in a while for a little bit of poetry Friday. I decided to resurface in preparation for my May 17, 2017 session in the AFCC In Singapore. I’ll be representing Gathering Books for one of the sessions on book blogging. If you’ll be attending that affair, see you there. 🙂
Now, on to Poetry Friday. Today’s post is an original poem and is part of a series I wrote called Open Spaces. I had previously shared open spaces#3: Holy Ground here on Poetry Friday. Today, I share Open spaces#2.
I have previously posted these poems in an obscure corner of the internet and now I’m sharing it to you. I hope you enjoy it.
For more poetry better head out to Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference. Thanks Tabatha for hosting today!
An Improbable Quiet
I knew the sound of fury
of glass shattering as a
gin bottle flies across the air
land a few inches shy
of my mother’s scared face.
I knew the sound of breath
struggling out of a mouth
as a hand held my neck
squeezing through flesh
and fragile bone.
Every sound I knew
echoed fear worn
like skin and pain
numbed with practice.
Every sound I knew—
creaking doors, leather
hitting plump flesh,
bones breaking as wails
and howls escaped human lips
were truths tattooed in my soul.
I thought I knew every sound there was
until this…
a quiet—
of wind through blades of grass
of the sky sighing in welcome
of my own tears
murmuring a joy I thought
forever impossible.
Gathering Books 
I’m at a loss for words other than to say this was powerfully painful. Oh, the power of poetry.
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Thank you. It’a good to know that this poem captured the pain and healing I am trying to convey.
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Hi Iphigene! Some of my favorite parts are “Every sound I knew/echoed fear worn/like skin and pain/numbed with practice” and “the sky sighing in welcome/of my own tears.” What a comforting ending, offering hope for change and healing.
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Hi Tabatha,
This poem took awhile to write, specifically the ending. I wondered if I would end with pain or with hope. In the end, i feel in all situations we deserve hope. Thank you for picking up on that.
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Such a powerful poem.
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Thank you Tara.
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Powerful words…from the violent sounds of pain to the quiet of healing.
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Hi Kay,
I wrote this poem trying to capture the sound if both violence and healing. It was the contrast i was trying to capture. Thank you for picking up on that
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I love how honest this poem is, and how the last stanza shows some healing. Powerful and beautiful. Thank you. xo
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Hi Irene,
This poem while not an accurate representation of my life captures a bit of my history. I am aware of the violence as much as the healing that comes after. In the process realizing there is no need to sugar coat the pain but to capture it as is. Thank you.
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Incredible – intensely painful, yet with a welcome, radiant glimmer of hope. Thank you for sharing it with us.
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Hi Jane,
I wanted to end in hope and healing because it is this narrative that we need more. In the midst of all that pain ans violence it is hard to believe hope is there and as someone who has gone through a similar situation i wanted to portray the hope in all of it. Thank you.
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The human spirit is a marvelous thing. There are some choices people make that forever change how they will be, and how others who come after them will be. Good comes from hope.
Beautiful.
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So beautifully put Donna. I marvel at the human spirit. Hence, it is important that those who suffer realize they have the choice. It was this realization that saved me.
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Too much violence in the world. But how fortunate if we can be happy with joy instead.
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Indeed Brenda. Even in the midst of pain and violence I believe there is that window of joy we can run to and find a way out of all the violence.
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Yes, if you can change your definition of home after they’ve been set badly.
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Oh, my. I was only thinking about how I’d say I love your painting, so the poem blindsided me…just like the experiences in the poem. Took my breath away. So grateful for the peaceful ending.
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Hi Marylee,
Thank you. The painting capture the ending and as i have said in the other comments…i believe in hope.
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I think I’m glad you included the details of those painful moments, and some hope at the end because you had thrown the pain away, at least in my mind you have. It’s beautifully written, Iphigene and powerful with your painting too.
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Yes. I have thrown the pain away. I now believe in hope and peace. Thank you. I am glad you liked the poem and painting.
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Your poetry is so good, Iphigene. I’m so glad you keep sharing it with us.
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Hi Akilah,
Thank you. I’m glad that you enjoy it. 🙂
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