You wouldn't call me baby
and I told myself I was alright with that
because you didn't call me bitch, either.
.
One-half of my twenties has been spent
recovering
from the other half,
unpacking the selves I learned
to keep nested away -
the twenty-two-year-old who was scared to speak up,
the teenager who never got to rebel,
the little one who's looking for someone to melt into...
Babushka doll babies.
.
I call them by their names
and introduce them to one another.
.
They duck back into themselves
the safe place inside
where they can't be accosted
or ignored.
.
A man called home calls me, Baby
and they all come running out at once.
.
Thank you, Poppy, for this prompt!
About the Creator
sleepy drafts
a sleepy writer named em :)
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Comments (16)
This really packed a punch! I love how everything came together so well at the end.
Amazing poem!! "unpacking the selves I learned to keep nested away" That's my favourite part. I also love the way the poem views the smallest babushka dolls. And that ending was extroardinarily linked in and built up to. Such a satisfying, uplifting finish!
Ahh, the power of words. Love the cleverness of the ending. Well done!
Awww, this was soooo wholesome and heartwarming! So optimistic and full of hope! It was like receiving a warm hug! I loved it!
Beautiful piece. Well done
Loved this… clever use of the babushka doll prompt.
Beautiful rhythm! Loved this piece💗
A wonderful flow of words
A beautiful piece. I love how you acknowledge the different parts of yourself in this poem. We are made of so many different parts that we sometimes forget about.
There is so much here and so beautifully crafted. I love the transition of seeking shelter into the hope of the last lines. Stunning 🤍
Such a relatable, emotional piece. Well done.
I love the turn in thought as that ending approaches and it feels like such a release of joy :) This was wonderfully done.
This was so good. You packed a ton of feeling into this small poem. It's one of my favorites I've read in this challenge
I love it! Incredible thoughts!❤️🫶
This is the kind of poetry I aspire to write. An abundance of meaning in a few lines. I think we’re all babushka dolls with fragmented parts of the psyche we’ve hidden away out of necessity. To feel so at home with someone that no part of you is lost is the most beautiful thing.
I think this poem just healed a part of me 🥹