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The Tide Will Come Out Of Your Mouth

SMASH!

Every time the glass of your skull

Crashes into the fist of another memory

To crush you where you stand

Because another memory has broken you

Because another memory has entered you

Like intruders, they force their way inside

They punch their way into your attention

They invade your heart

Until you must look at them

All so that they can violate you again

They come thrashing in like ferocious waves

Like violent currents pulling you into yourself

Until you must drown or wade

So, you lap them up and swallow them whole

You gain a belly full of running H2O

But it only rises, oh it won’t stay down

The tide comes out of your mouth

Splat onto the ground

The memories confront you

“Look at me,” they say

They appear in every scene on everyday

Until

You take your hands off the wheel to look

CRASH!

You drop the mug of piping hot tea to think

SMASH!

You fall onto your knees to weep

…Crushed…

These memories make a mess

But they make even more when supressed

acceptingassaultblockblock outbraverycoping mechanismdealingdealing with traumadifficultfeeling is okayforgetfuturegetting bettergrowingLiving after traumamemoriesmental healthmindmind protectsmoving forwardsmoving onpainpainfulpastraperecallreliveself preservationself protectionsupressedsupressed memoriessurvivortoxictraumaunderstandingviolence

◄ We Run Like Water

When His Words Become Hands ►

Comments

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Graham Sherwood

Mon 8th Mar 2021 23:43

Sorry I missed this first time round Alexandra.
Your work is always complex but this piece seems very lucid and focussed. Memories can have many faces, some beautiful and others ghastly. Here you describe their force.
A strong piece, well written.

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