Green Eyes, Black Eyes
Meeting his green eyes,
bloodshot cold over her
shoulder in the mirror.
(They’ve always been blue.)
His hand curls over
her collarbone,
her neck.
Mascara wand drops,
catching gritty coal stain
on her dress.
“you’re going out,
wearing that…”
Not a question.
“Seeing friends…” she bleats,
just the same. His breath,
still beating her neck, his
heat, close up her back.
“I’ll see you later, love.”
His “love” crackles
her spine.
“Is that a threat or
a promise?”
she murmurs: shaky,
attempting flirtation or is it
desperation, flattery to
distract, purr to preserve.
She’s determined,
this time,
it must work.
It doesn’t.
Meeting two black eyes
in the mirror,
in the normal morning,
the blur of local radio
burring her throbbing ears:
travel updates and market day
cattle prices. Some fuss over
planning for a new supermarket.
Black eyes in grey face, staring
blank holes lost to caring,
with purple shading to
fade to indigo and yellow.
Pretty rainbows,
colour-washed for being…
good?
Eating on one side
of bruise-numb jaw.
Choking down
cardboard cornflakes wetted
with blood-leak and bile.
Teeth all counted, even
the wobblers.
Birds titter outside.
Clearing up last night’s
screaming debris.
Binbag and newspaper to
wrap up the smashed up.
(She’d need a whole lot
of newspaper…)
“You’d better have
this shit-hole cleaned
up, my love,
‘cause I don’t want
to have to…
I don’t want to…”
Was it a threat
or a threat?
Yowzers!
Decided it was about time I posted a darker one again…
MISS HOLLY!! ; )
C’est moi…
I’m glad you like Mari.
Well now, who does ‘dark’? OMG when you do it, you do it with style.
Thanks Polly. People often think of dark and they think of monsters under the bed and ghosts in the attic – which are all scary in themselves – but I think the real darknesses are often the unspoken horrors that can exist for people in every day life.
total agreement from me on this comment Holly – what human beings can do to each other is astounding
Well done.
Thank you Lea.
With pleasure
Wow – it certainly is a darker one. But a very effective and powerful one.
To even think that this kind of behaviour/mindset can exist in human beings is very frightening. And from what I understand it’s a very complex business, the women often staying put for more for fear of all sorts.
Holly, you have captured this subject so well here and I feel very grateful for my relationships.
Christine
Thank you Christine. Yes, I think you’re right in that these things are very complex and that’s one of the reasons I choose to write on the subject. I don’t claim to be a great writer, but I think these are issues that need tackling openly in literature as well as life.
written so well you had me quaking! xxx
Sorry to scare you Willow – perhaps after my recent posts on beards and the like, I should’ve put a content warning on this one. However, I’m glad you found it effective in handling the material of what I know is a difficult issue.
It was not a complaint it is a truly useful point!!
No, no – I didn’t take as a complaint!
I was merely thinking aloud… I do that a lot… 
Holly, thanks for following one of my blogs. Perhaps you would like to check out the other sometime? http://poetryphotosandmusingsohmy.wordpress.com
You have two? Oh, excellent!
Must admit, I had thought I was already following you before today, but then realised I wasn’t – sorry about that! x
Perhaps you are one of the earlier followers? The other one is Poetry Photos and Musings oh my!
Each blog has the link back to the other.
I think I have both now. Happy days.
Nice and yet nasty. Dark – and yet colourful. And you know what’s coming – or do you?
Is there sequel?
Oooh, a sequel? There’s an idea… but then sequels of films seldom live up to the originals so I wonder if the same goes for poems…? I definitely think there may be more to tell for these characters. Perhaps even a different viewpoint. You’ve got me thinking now!
Really interesting poem, Holly. Yes dark, but the truth is, it happens.
Sadly so, sadly so….
Thank you for reading Martin – you know I occasionally like to delve into darker waters.
Captivating.
Thank you Jackie.
What a stark and real image of domestic violence. On the outside, and on the inside. Well done Holly.
Thank you very much – I appreciate you saying that.
That’s a powerful one! I like the use of ‘my love’ against all the violence.
Thank you Rose. Yes, I chose to intersperse the affectionate language against the nastiness, both as a contrast and an illustration of, sadly, how some of these relationships go.
Holly, what a terrifying piece of writing. You have captured the horror of spousal abuse perfectly. I could see this playing out before my eyes. Damn good writing.
Pamela
Thanks Pamela – it’s a sensitive subject for so many, so it’s something I wanted to make sure I did the best possible job I could of conveying the creeping unpleasantness of.