Sunday, August 22, 2010

Poetry Train Monday - 166 - You Reached Out


Les McKeown Week wraps up here at A Piece of My Mind with this poem written a week ago for the 3:15 Experiment.


How to participate in the 3:15 Experiment

Starting on the night of July 31/Aug. 1, set your alarm for 3:15 am, wake up, write a poem in the midst of your sleepiness and go back to sleep. Repeat each night for the month of August.

Visit the originators of the project for more information:

Danika Dinsmore

Gwendolyn Alley


For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!



















You Reached Out


When I first read about
Your ordeal
I felt as though
My girlhood joy
Had contributed to your
Thirty years of torment

At first
When I gazed once again
Upon your face
From those old photos
When I realized
What had happened
I looked down
I saw blood on my hands

I wish all of those
Girlish hearts
Had been enough to shield you
But I'm grateful
That one woman's heart
Was your haven
That your son
Helped you to see
That boys should be cherished

You spoke against your attacker
But no one would listen
How could a boy
Ward off a predator
Who'd built such a web of terror
Who carved misery
Into so many psyches

You grabbed your own life back
From the chasm's edge
I know that's why
My girlish heart
Thrilled to you
When you gazed into the camera
And reached out

Reached out

Somewhere inside me
I knew that pain lurked
Somewhere inside you
But I also recognized
The courage
You have shown
Have always shown
In the face of it all

© Julia Smith, Aug. 15, 2010

Danika Dinsmore says This is a 3:15 poem? It's far too cohesive! lol.

Akelamalu says Wonderful poem Julia, I like it very much.

Toni says I didn't know. :( And I too was a huge fan.

7 comments:

danika dinsmore said...

This is a 3:15 poem? It's far too cohesive! lol.

Akelamalu said...

Wonderful poem Julia, I like it very much.

Toni said...

I didn't know. :( And I too was a huge fan.
Blessings,
Toni

Travis Cody said...

I guess sometimes, when you feel a thing so strongly, the words flow cohesively and completely no matter when you write them.

Anonymous said...

very touching and beautifully described....
Well done.

gautami tripathy said...

Beautiful..

I ought to do the 3:15 too!

a trophy

Anonymous said...

wow, very meditative, detailed, and introspective...3:15 takes us to a different place sometimes, doesn't it?