whatever didn't wake the monster,
was most likely my afternoon food of choice.
a silent snack,
on silent feet,
tiptoeing through the hall,
hoping the floor
didn't creak or
my school bag didn't rustle.
i held my breath
til the door snicked shut
and the lock engaged,
ears still strained for
the sound of movement
despite the barrier in place.
i stayed thirsty,
no drink=no need to pee,
couldn't chance leaving
my sanctuary so soon.
i munched on fear
and drank down misery,
time after time.
to this day,
no matter how much i
think on it, i've no idea
what i actually ate,
yet i'm sure it must've been
something as i'm still
choking on the memory
and chewing on lies.
the only thing i ever swallowed
was the truth.
____________________________________________________
Inspired by the #snacktimesonata challenge.
Thank you for reading!
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
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Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (41)
Nicely Done. Congrats on Top Story.
Oh Heather 🥺 I’m so sorry that you were able to write this. It’s a really powerful poem, strong emotion throughout… x
Congrats on TS and on this painful and beautiful poem. I love the verbs- you use so many unexpected and perfect words. Well done!
Swallowing the truth so as not to disturb another's distance & equilibrium or incur their wrath--painful & tough. May we never suffer such angst again in our lives. More importantly, may we never be the cause of such suffering in others.
What a nice poem! Wow, it felt me a lot.
Congrats on the Top Story! Beautiful poem and well-deserved. You perfectly capture the depths of this kind of fear.
Wow, lil' sis, this one hits hard. Great work!
You really should consider publishing your poetry. It's edgy, intelligent and packs one hell of a wallop!
Impactful and insightful, this one cuts to the quick. I love the lyrical brightness, the seeming simplicity, which intentionally belies the depths of hurt, fear, and terror actually being experienced. Brilliantly written poem. Congratulations on TS for March!
Wow, a poem about me! How come you knew my teenage life so well?
Excellent writing. I am sorry that this was your childhood. Thank you for sharing this.
Ah, pal. I'm sorry you had this experience. Like those words don't even cut it, not really, but you know what I mean. Like... You wrote this so powerfully and beautifully. I am not surprised this got Top Story quicker than I had a chance to read it! Congrats on that. Always impressed with how you take the most awful experiences and memories and turn them into something magical.
Very cool poem. Experience surely teaches us. There is a boldness about the telling of the story. Enjambment isn't used recklessly here; I really appreciate that. "Choking on the memory/And chewing on lies". Not sure how you managed to get so much irony and metaphor in these two lines. It felt like I was looking at despair barefaced when I read it. Isn't poetry the "best" of alchemy?
Wow that's powerful. I want to ask what inspired it but I'm not sure I should. I think there are quite a few kids though that might see their experiences in this. <3
Excellent portraying of emotions.
Gosh. This was incredibly sad. Excellent writing as always. You always make me feel something. Hope you’re doing ok.
It's not a happy piece but I'm happy to see it got a Top Story. Congratulations my fear friend ❤️
When the food (emotions) tastes like ash, but you force yourself to swallow it anyway. I'm sorry Heather.❤️🩹
Heather, this one hit me deep. Heavy indeed. Sending hugs.
Great take on the challenge and you got what you deserved (in the nicest possible way)
That’s awesome H2, I’m not gonna ask for a bite 😊😊
Brilliantly written!!!💕❤️❤️ Congratulations on Top Story!!!
Congrats on Top Story!🥳🥳🥳
Wow this is fucking brilliant work my friend 🥰❤️😍😍
Beautifully written as always but so heartbreaking and powerful 🤍