Look Me In The Eyes
a poem
I never thanked you
for inadvertently teaching me
to avoid looking directly
into your eyes.
I didn’t realize
until I was confident
that you can gleam
some sort of connection
without the concealment
of sunshades.
Family.
What a silly
word we use
to excuse all the confusing
ways we hate each other.
“I love you, but I never
wanted children.”
And no amount
of empty affections
can scour
that from my memory.
I never thanked you
for showing me how to
change a tire
or break somebody’s nose.
Who knows,
it might save me
one day.
Maybe I should be
grateful that you
implanted invaluable
lessons into my life
like lying
to the only people
you have and pretending
to love the ones you don’t.
Love.
Have you ever really
known it?
“I don’t love;
I tolerate.”
Yet, I never really thanked
you for ignoring
my rare outbursts
or famous isolations.
Perhaps I should have
because I wouldn’t
be self-sufficient
without it.
For your sake,
I daydream of when
someone will ask me,
“How did
you accomplish this?”
Then, I will laugh and admit,
“My father didn’t
care to read
my stories.”
About the Creator
Sam Eliza Green
Wayward soul, who finds belonging in the eerie and bittersweet. Poetry, short stories, and epics. Stay a while if you're struggling to feel understood. There's a place for you here.
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Comments (16)
Didn't realize I had so many brothers and sisters of the same father. Thanks for sharing this piece, it is essential.
love this. thank you.
I enjoyed reading this piece, well done! I subscribed to you! I am just starting out and would very much like if you have time to read some of my work and if you like it please subscribe! I look forward to reading more of your work!
Lovely words…
great text.
great text.
I absolutely love the subject that you touched on. "like lying to the only people you have and pretending to love the ones you don’t." Oy, oh, my... yes, I understand. Check out some of my poetry, as there is a place for me here perhaps, I have a place for you as well. :) Please keep writing.
I like the personal tone. It doesn't put me in the shoes of the narrator but rather allows a glimpse into their life. I appreciate the perspective and the raw but over it feellings.
You wrote your hearts out, and I felt it too… Nice one 👍
Right in the feels.
Wow, beautiful poetry
sadly beautiful and able to strike so many familiar places!
Heartfelt, beautiful.
This was beautiful.
Didn't know we had the same people in our lives... A very powerful piece of work.
True