Fri Jan 7, 2022, 06:24 AM
Tucker08087 (582 posts)
I've written so much but fell behind with sharing!
This is completely true, but looking back at my feelings in those surrounding years and finally trying to put it into words. I did say to someone in the hospital (doctor, nurse, police…all a blur), “There are worse things than being dead.” I repeated it often. Wanted it to sound kind of like a heartbeat. I hope it’s not redundant. So here is what I have. And I’ll try to catch up with others. This one is VERY long…
Worse Things I walked through the trees And the honeysuckle bees And believed that I was really living We’d been trained to accept What others might reject And we took a vow of forgiving The night wind cooled me The starry skies fooled me I was there just to do my calling When the doorbell rang That familiar sound Down narrow steps I walked without falling But I fell Dear God, to the depths of hell That shiny silver blade With precise and viscous cuts Left bloody marks And they will never fade But they certainly weren’t The only scars that were made There are worse things There are worse things There are worse things My God, can’t you see this dread Can’t you read between the lines that you read There are worse things There are worse things For the love of God There are worse things Than being dead And I asked every night Before I went to bed Why? Why didn’t he leave me dead? Why’d he leave me To walk in misery instead? Now years have gone by Can’t remember how to cry Except for others who’ve felt this pain We didn’t have a choice They still won’t hear our voice Roll their eyes as they say it’s a shame The night wind heals me The starry skies feel me They know that I’m still trying And every single footstep Reminds me of a misstep A life I try to live without lying But I lie Dear God, Cause I wished that you would die That sharp silver blade Yeah it cuts both ways And maybe I’d remember how to cry Your own ending might teach me how to try There are worse things There are worse things There are worse things My God, can’t you see the disgrace There are worse things There are worse things There are worse things Than staring into the devil’s face Can’t you see it in my eyes that I’m gone A role in a play that’s always on There are worse things There are worse things For the love of God There are worse things Than faking being strong And living far too long And he left me Bleeding freely And to this day I ask why instead Did he let me live And my answer My only answer was that he, too Even he knew There are worse things There are worse things There are worse things Than being dead Because so many times I’ve wished that his crime Would have left me dead My veins were dripping My life was slipping…. away But he let me stay Wish he’d left me dead Instead Cause there are worse things There are worse things There are worse things Please, God, let them hear what I’ve said There are worse things There are worse things There are worse things Than being dead
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Author | Time | Post |
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Tucker08087 | Jan 2022 | OP |
lillypaddle | Jan 2022 | #1 | |
Tucker08087 | Jan 2022 | #2 | |
lillypaddle | Jan 2022 | #3 | |
Tucker08087 | Jan 2022 | #4 |
Response to Tucker08087 (Original post)
Fri Jan 7, 2022, 09:23 AM
lillypaddle (9,442 posts)
1. Oh my God, Tucker
What a nightmare you have been through. I'm guessing that your poem was cathartic, but painful to write. All of that being said, you write beautifully, and with great expression. My favorite poems are those that go beneath the surface, and bravely convey our innermost thoughts and worries. Many people skirt the real issues for fear of being too vulnerable - but you sure didn't with this poem.
I hope you have continued healing, but we both know it will never, ever go completely away. Thank you for trusting us enough to share. Oh, and by the way, did I say how much I liked your writing? ![]() |
Response to lillypaddle (Reply #1)
Fri Jan 7, 2022, 05:29 PM
Tucker08087 (582 posts)
2. Thank you!
I wanted to express my feelings back then, but also the shame and disgrace that society and the courts SHOULD feel with how little they care about women who have been assaulted. I was 19. It did just about do me in, but there was DNA and eventually I testified. 4 of us did. There were others who couldn’t bring themselves to do so. it helped, but for the 4 of us, he was sentenced to 3 1/2 years and got out early for “good behavior.” Of course, he raped again, and went back to jail, but that’s little solace to the young women who suffered because he was let out.
And just last night, a friend told me that I shouldn’t allow myself to go back to painful memories to write. It’s exhausting and emotional. I often cry as I write. I said that, only through that trip down the rabbit hole of time, can I do my best work. The pieces with honest, raw emotion are always the pieces that are loved the most. But this time, I think I may have finally been able to shed that demon through writing this. Thanks again. I know you didn’t need me to write a novel in response. 🥰 |
Response to Tucker08087 (Reply #2)
Fri Jan 7, 2022, 07:08 PM
lillypaddle (9,442 posts)
3. Hey, I'm glad to hear back from you
Your friend sounds well meaning, but sometimes we need to go back in order to move forward. I cannot even imagine the horror of your experience. If it feels right to express it openly, then by all means do it. And you have. I don't know you, but I feel very proud to have shared in your poem and even your pain.
Keep writing! Keep healing. ![]() |