Below is my interpretation of week #5 Fiction in a Flash on Suzuanne Burke’s Blog.
This picture took me to a dark place. I ended up writing three poems about it, but I’m only sharing one of them.
INVISIBLE STRINGS
The golden couple enters hushed admiration.
Their beauty captures the imagination.
Women ache to stand in “her” shoes.
I don’t.
I’ve heard his tone…
I’ve seen the bruises…
I’ve heard her cry.
But now, she grins and laughs
While clinging to his ego.
They are so in love people declare
But they don’t see the invisible strings
They are knotted in oppression.
Her eyes reflect only fear…
Her mouth set in a dark smile…
Her motions are jagged as he tugs her strings.
He is a puppeteer of hatred
Controlling each action…
Each word…
Each breath.
My heart feels her pain,
Yet, she won’t leave him.
I offer her safety,
She clings to sadistic devotion.
No one sees what makeup covers
No one hears his degrading words
No one feels his anger like she does.
It is a delicate illusion held together by string
Someday, I know that string will break
And I will either comfort her… or grieve by her grave.
As I turn away, I glimpse a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
It goes unnoticed by her pathetic puppeteer.
I smile as I leave in hope,
Knowing the invisible strings are finally fraying.
Embrace your inner child. D. L. Finn
