04 Apr
Today’s prompt, is inspired by Teicher’s poem “Son“. One thing you might notice about this poem is that it is sad, but that it doesn’t generate that feeling through particularly emotional words. The words are very simple. Another thing you might notice is that it’s a sonnet – not in strict iambic pentameter, but fourteen rhymed, relatively short lines.
Today, we’d like to challenge you to write your own sad poem, but one that, like Teicher’s, achieves sadness through simplicity.
I think I drifted to the extreme of sadness or horror, if I may call it. I leave it to you to decide…
I wish I hadn’t gone out The door was closed But not locked Just a little push And it swung open To reveal the tale of last two hours Prints of shoes dipped in mud Stood apart on the white marble “These cannot be my footprints” Was my first thought “Did I not clean the floor before going to the store?” The answer shook me The realization set in I scurried to the living room Books scattered on the floor Cushions torn apart Pieces of broken glass Pricked my toes My heart skipped a beat I heard her moans Cries of utter pain I dashed to our room to find her on the floor “Was she dead?” “Where was her hair? Why did she look bald?” “Oh my God! She was missing even her hands!” My feet were soaked in blood as I made my way to her A closer look And a shiver ran down my spine Her face mutilated Her body brutalized As if each body part had been carefully impaired I fell apart at that ghastly sight She was his target for the day The psychopath on loose Who was all over the news Had raped and battered my gorgeous wife ©Vandana Bhasin
