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Living in an Ashtray

Wandering Thoughts

By Cathy holmesPublished about a year ago Updated 10 months ago 1 min read
Top Story - May 2023
Photo by Omin Armin on Unsplash

Lives.

Burning away

like unattended cigarettes in an ashtray.

Teetering on the edge of collapse.

Threatening to fall into the abyss

of wasted oblivion,

leaving nothing but a trail of scattered ashes

soon to be sucked into a vacuum.

Future obscured by the smoky air of forgetfulness.

Present dimmed by simple indifference.

Putrid stench of past decisions made.

Choking on consequences

and coughing up the remains of what once was.

Stained fingers.

Stained souls.

Hearts blackened by anger.

Lungs blackened by years of

living in an ashtray.

Huddled side by side with

wasted filters of existence,

all drowning in a sea of bitter ashes.

Suffocating on memories of the touch of sweet lips,

never to be touched again.

Just sitting with those wasted filtered nothings,

dreading (maybe hoping for) the moment of being dumped

like the trash they are,

like the garbage they ever will be.

Thrown into the ever-increasing numbers of lost souls

in the land of no one gives a shit.

sad poetrysocial commentary

About the Creator

Cathy holmes

Canadian family girl with a recently discovered love for writing. Other loves include animals and sports.

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Reader insights

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  1. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  2. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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    Creative use of language & vocab

  1. Excellent storytelling

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Comments (66)

  • Denise E Lindquist10 months ago

    Wow... what more can I say but Wow!!😢

  • Hannah Moore10 months ago

    So much bitterness in here!

  • One that I had missed so glad I can give you a read

  • Mesh Toraskar10 months ago

    Oh my, this was so so powerful and raw. Especially loved this - "Hearts blackened by anger. Lungs blackened by years of living in an ashtray. " Thanks for sharing it Cathy!!

  • Testabout a year ago

    Cathy this is fantastic with wonderful imagery. Congratulations on being Top Story 💕🙂

  • Ricardo de Moura Pereiraabout a year ago

    Very good

  • The Dani Writerabout a year ago

    Tell it like it T-I IS, Cathy! *Both fists in the air and foot poised for well-placed kicks to bureaucratic BS that chokes the life out of people and planet* So sorry for the delayed congratulations on your top story but still up for a party where we sharpen your poem to a razor-grade pointy ensemble and do naughty things to get the attention of the "leadership."

  • Testabout a year ago

    That was powerful!

  • Eishal Kashifabout a year ago

    Woww

  • Novel Allenabout a year ago

    Whoa! This spoke for all of us. Well said. Now get a punching bag and beat the sucker up. Well said Cathy.

  • ITACHIabout a year ago

    Wow

  • Mercy Ajiboyeabout a year ago

    Wow... perfect lines, Well done

  • Every word in every line resonated with who I've now become. I am the cigarette left behind in the ashtray, waiting to be dumped like the trash I am. You have no idea how much I love this poem. I wish I can frame this and hang it in my room. You know what, I don't wanna be the cigarette in the ashtray waiting to be dumped. I wanna be the cigarette that burns the fingers of those who dare to touch me. Your poem is so inspirational!

  • Grz Colmabout a year ago

    A thoughtful piece Cathy. Lots of parallels here! 😊

  • Wow. Well done!

  • Carol Townendabout a year ago

    Very straight and truthful words! This is a brilliant act of speaking out.

  • Paul Stewartabout a year ago

    This was...yeah. Powerful and just full of emotion. Stunning. Well done and congrats on TS! Thoroughly well deserved!

  • Caroline Janeabout a year ago

    Ooof and ouch!! I think you just punched me in the face. Love this in a sadistic, great poem respect way. 👊❤

  • JBazabout a year ago

    Well done, this one stands out, it has a deeper meaning. Congratulations

  • Stephanie Downardabout a year ago

    Congrats on your top story! 🎉 This speaks so much truth! Very well done!

  • Manpreet Singh Bhinderabout a year ago

    Amazing poem. Congrats!

  • Derrick Jumaabout a year ago

    YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ARTICLES

  • Elena about a year ago

    Congratulations

  • Ruth Stewartabout a year ago

    It's very sad. Great though.

Cathy holmesWritten by Cathy holmes

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