Sunday, July 18, 2010

The Killing of an Optimist

I wrote this piece sometime in February of 2008. I am posting it up now for two reasons. Firstly, because until this day it remains among my prized pieces as it holds what I consider to be one of the best lines of imagery in my writing thus far. Secondly, this piece is now resurfacing, as many of my other pieces previously had, due to the fact that I can once again identify with the topic I had written about back then.

The Killing of an Optimist

I feel like a part of me is dying here
And it hurts more than you can possibly imagine
Like shards of glass secreting from the pores of my bare skin
I want to shout
but I have no voice
I want to cry
but there is no one to hear it
My powers have faded and I can no longer break out of this cage
With every passing moment my heart sinks lower and lower
It's a feeling so sickeningly painful
that I feel myself deteriorating from the inside out
and as I cling on to the very last strand of hope,
constantly thinning as we speak,
I realize two very important things:
that any and all sorts of attempts are useless
and that instead of standing by,
allowing the infliction caused by others to devour me,
I find that infliction of self offers an oddly comforting sanctuary that I can hide in
'til there is no more

5 comments:

  1. This is an amazing piece, and I can relate to it, as I am sure many others can. You have a wonderful talent. Writing can be a healing process dealing with the hard things in our lives.
    Always remember you are a true poet, and that is something very special. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I always enjoy your comments, and I love reading your beautiful writing! :-)

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  2. I like this. Glad you dusted it off and offered it up.

    It's funny how things written or thought in the past can be pushed aside and maybe forgotten for so long... until one day long in the future they resurface and become relevant again, or the even more special: they now may have a greater understanding or meaning in present-day context.

    Good writing! Keep it up! I look forward to reading more.

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  3. You portray these deep feelings so well and with such imagery that I think that all who have felt such things can identify with your words.

    I especially loved the lines ...

    "I want to shout
    but I have no voice"

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  4. I know it's been said before, but this truly is amazing, and so easy to identify with.
    I've just started following your blog, and am now looking forward to future updates. :D

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  5. Robyn,
    I just wanted to say thank you for the encouragement on my post about depression. I so greatly appreciate it.
    This is a very powerful piece and my favoirte line:
    "Like shards of glass secreting from the pores of my bare skin" -very powerful stuff.

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