Spent an evening smashing holes
in the walls you’d fixed,
and smoothed with filler.
Waited for the dawn to discover
the bones of this house
now naked of plaster.
Wondered if I looked as broken,
beneath.
If I would catch light
just as quickly.

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Published by Carol J Forrester
Carol J Forrester is a writer and a history geek. Her debut collection 'It's All In The Blood' came out November 2019.
She has a 2:1 BA degree in history from Bath Spa University, enjoys judo at least twice a week, and tries to attend poetry events around the Midlands when she can.
Her flash fiction story ‘Glorious Silence’ was named as River Ram Press’ short story of the month for August 2014 and her short story ‘A Visit From The Fortune Teller’ has been showcased on the literary site Ink Pantry. Her poems ‘Sunsets’ and ‘Clear Out‘ were featured on Eyes Plus Words, and two of her poems were included in the DVerse Poets Pub Publication ‘Chiaroscuro’ which is available for purchase on amazon.Her poem ‘Until The Light Gets In‘ was accepted and published at The Drabble and her poem ‘Newborn’ was published by Ink Sweat & Tears.
She has been lucky enough to write guest posts for sites such as Inky Tavern and Song of The Forlorn and has hosted a number of guest bloggers on her site Writing and Works.
View all posts by Carol J Forrester
I wonder if it’s not the builder of walls who are the most wrecked soul in the end.
Oh, Carol. This is hauntingly beautiful. I had an ex who put holes in walls…and I was absolutely just that broken.
If I catch your drift, this relationship was on its second go-round, and it failed again, making things twice as raw; a powerful piece.
I like the comparison of the smashed plaster with oneself.
What poetic depiction of being broken. May the light come quickly.
I like this take on the prompt. Well done.
Sometimes staring over is just that, from the very beginning. No patches, but from scratch.
Wow. Great energy, great metaphor, great ending. Haunting.
Your poem made me catch my breath, Carol. A powerful metaphor for a broken relationship.
Sometimes things cannot be fixed, and moving on is how the light returns…
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
Haunting Carol.
The bones of this old house…..yeah kindred spirits.
Guess sometimes being broken is good to let the light pass through….
You’ve described in words, the destruction of a failing relationship and how very hard it is to rebuild. Disturbing words here….but perhaps the light imagery in the end is the hope of becoming oneself and independent health.
Nothing broken beneath… you are as strong as ever. Love the metaphor!
The tearing down and building up of each of us is a story that we can all relate to. I really enjoyed this.
Going through a divorce now in our family, the house is so tied up in the bond that is breaking, nice to make repairs, nice to hope to heal.