Tender

Once, twice, thrice, she shudders
as the weight of voices
corpulent with braggadocio
pummel the foundations
of a world she thought was steady.

She slumps, shaking her head
as the laughter grows,
mocking delicate souls
so easily bothered
by what needs not touch them.

Her tears fall.
“All the better,” she says
to prime the whetstone at her feet
she uses to sharpen her sword,
which will not be sheathed
until justice is done.


This poem was inspired by the prompt given over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads, Looking Beyond the Obvious.

36 comments:

  1. The beautiful way you have of weaving justifiable homicide into your tale is so elegant. I would like to know this character better.

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    1. Now that's an interesting idea. I hadn't thought of fleshing this out into a story, but there might well be something here.

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  2. Oh my, that took a violent turn! So nicely done!

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    1. LOL, it did, didn't it? I wasn't sure quite where to go with the twist to fit the prompt, but when I found it, I was terribly pleased with myself.

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  3. Absolutely Liz that last verse and here are my favorite lines
    "Her tears fall.
    “All the better,” she says
    to prime the whetstone at her feet
    she uses to sharpen her sword,"

    Much love...

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  4. Tears for the whetstone of vengeance.Yikes!!!

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    1. Yeah, I really liked that imagery when I came up with it.

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  5. Ah.. the whetstone at her feet. What an impacting symbol.

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  6. "which will not be sheathed until justice is done." Excellent. We will oppose until he goes. (We live in hope.)

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    1. That's what rebellions are built on according to Princess Leia

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  7. Lots of things can reduce friction and make an edge, but none better than blood sweat and tears when a sword is involved, or justice either. Steely and yes, very tender as well, Rommy, because we can't harden our hearts.

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    1. Exactly so. And it is the strength of a tender heart that makes for a very determined warrior.

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    1. Woot! Glad I was able to get that twist in.

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  9. Great title! I think it forces one to think about what happened and what's going on

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    1. Sometimes titles are difficult for me, but this was a case where I knew what I wanted right away.

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  10. "voices corpulent with braggadocio" -- now hmmm, who does that remind me of? Great poem, Rommy!

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  11. Tender, yes, concealing the brilliant blade just beneath. Amen.

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  12. The last stanza made my night, and my day. Heck, it probably made my week. No need to waste tears. If they are to come anyway--hard not to cry these days--we might as well use the salty sorrow for good.

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    1. No need to waste, nor disguise them - but use them along with every potential tool in our arsenal.

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  13. Ah! That is so interesting. The kind of unraveling of a tale which indeed shows the view from a different angle.
    Well-penned. :-)
    -HA

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  14. Love the turn at the end! Great words Rommy! Big Hugs!

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