Roses Bleed
She swore she’d never accept them. Never
again. Cheap gesture to grant forgiveness.
Never again. Never again. Forty quid to buy
atonement, making it all better. Card stiff,
scribed with florist’s hand. Itemised on his
end-month Visa bill. Permanent financial
record of a plastic redemption self-served.
Evidence unseen of his voicemails deleted,
his slaps denied and punches drunk down.
She owns and drowns in every second he’s
forgetting. She needs and grieves for time
and those dead bouquets. She promises…
Never again. Never again. And then, they
come. To her door. Unexpected, unasked
for. Florist’s hand, sorry again. Roses bleed.
Ouch. “Punches drunk down.” Smashing line.
Thanks Colette.
This poem is outstanding in pace, rhythm, concept, tone, metaphor – I shall come back to this one again and again, it’s brilliant
Wow – that’s big praise! Thanks Polly. This poem started off with one idea and then ended up being written with a completely different ending to what I intended originally. Funny how that happens sometimes isn’t it!
It is extraordinary, Holly. Watch out for a blog, probably a poem, in which hedgerows and holly appear …
It wasn’t me – I’ve been near no hedgerows… well, not lately anyway…
I shall look forward to reading….
Excellent.
Thank you David.
beautiful and too near the bloody near the bloody truth for it’s own good!!:)
That’s a good response – thanks Willow!
looks like the glass of wine made me repeat myself but you got my meaning!!
I did – I thought you were making extra “bloody” reference to the , er, bloodiness…
hehehehehehhehehehe
powerful poem, Holly. well written with a good flow.
I do like a good flow… Thanks Francina. Means a lot.
Worked briefly at our local Dept. of Transitional Assistance, near the woman who handled the domestic abuse cases. Learned that the average is 8 times that a woman will leave and come back to the abuser, before she leaves for good. You have captured the cycle and emotion well in your piece. Nicely penned.
Hello Ginny and thank you for reading. Yes, I’ve encountered those statistics in a previous job and it’s simply terrifying to think of anyone going through it. Thanks again for commenting.
oo this is tight…love the plastic redemption at the end of his credit card….and the promises of never again, we fall for them…when we give them ourselves or they give them as well…
Yep, “plastic redemption” is a good way of putting it. Thank you for reading and commenting.
That was sad, but a bitter true to life story that happens far to much. I like the way your worded about roses bleeding and being giving a falseness to it’s beauty.
Thank you very much.