On the floor looking up
a poem
'We just pick ourselves back up'
Is something I'm often told,
But what if I just want to lie awhile
Here on the floor
Letting the warmth of the tiles seep into my
Tired bones. It feels divine.
The whir of the ceiling fan,
A slice of white noise to cover the
Cacophony of sheep bleating in my ear
And ghosts of the past with their whispering and taunts.
It stirs up dust motes that float in the
Sunlight sneaking through
The tear in the dumb blind I was
Supposed to fix.
~
But that's okay.
It's just enough light for my head to loll
Side to side, seeing nothing and
Everything at the same time.
I'm alone. Again.
Sometimes it's needed solitude, a respite.
And the silence transcends,
Transforming this muddy plane
Into bits of stories and rhymes,
Emotive images that merge together
To create something wholly new
And wondrous.
I can escape for awhile and just be.
~
Other times it feels like the weight of the world
Sits on my chest.
The compression cracks my ribs
And squeezes my heart
A protest sits on my lips that it's all too much.
One, two, three...I suck air in and out,
Counting through the agony and
Lifting my limbs one at a time,
Pins and needles slowly prodding them
Back to life.
~
There are days when sitting up is all I'm able to do.
The tile doesn't feel quite as comfortable,
The white noise begins to grate,
And I think about standing.
However, today is not that day.
Instead I've taken to kneeling,
Pouring out the bitterness that's
Become an infection,
My stomach heaving in response
Trying to purge my demons,
My insecurities, my fears.
Pale and shaking, I succumb to the floor
Once more.
~
Another day dawns, milky rays of light
Drifting through that same
Damn blind.
Something feels different though,
A subtle shift in the air,
A current running across my skin
Raising all the hairs and
Reminding me I'm still here.
I'm still kicking.
~
I think I want to try standing today.
____________________________________________________
Inspired by a kind comment that Mariann Carroll left on my poem, hey you. She said, "We just pick ourselves back up." And that got me to thinking...
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More stories from Heather Hubler and writers in Poets and other communities.
There is a Thin Line Between Tears of Sorrow and Tears of Joy
I remember when my mother passed away. After the tears from the initial shock, our family sat in the living room and shared memories. We talked about her love and compassion toward others, the lessons she taught us about honesty, and how she taught us the importance of respecting ourselves and others. Then we started sharing memories that made us smile and eventually, each of us began to relax and tell stories that made us laugh.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Humor
Comments (39)
Ohhh this is very well written. I had already loved it before I finished the first verse. Well done and thank you for sharing ❤️
Heather, this has been on my reading list for so long and I am so happy to have finally had a chance to read it! This so relatable and really hits home for me! You pulled no punches as you vividly described the sensation of what it's like to have one of those days. Congratulations on Top Story, that badge was so well earned and I am so glad to have finally read this one! It was well worth the wait! 😊
I completely relate. Instagrammed (not sure if that's a word) and tweeted. Brilliant.
Another great piece. What a wonderful talent you are. Congrats!!
💪🏼👏🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️
Love this one and thought I had commented already! well done, Heather, this is quite incredible and deserving of Top Story!
This is truly the enthralling measure of the human experience encapsulated in one poem!! Absolutely brilliant and truly poignantly deep.💕👏🌟👏🎉🥰❤️
quite the rollercoaster! some really lovely images here: these are special... dumb blinds a slice of white noise kudos - wardo
A beautifully detailed description of a hefty emotion. I enjoy the hope you brought in at the end. Thank you.
Deep & Authentic! Congratulations on Top Story! 👏
If all of that came from one comment, what would you do with this line from me?... (just kidding, I can't even think of a profound line to challenge or inspire you with). There are so many parts I love of this poem, but this one carried the most depth of the complexity of feeling motivated and stuck at the same time: "A protest sits on my lips that it's all too much." Congratulations on Top Story!
I have days like that. We might all have days like that. Hope you're feeling better.
Stupid fucking blind.
Congratulations on your Top Story 🎉
Love how you did this from a prompt(of sorts) Well done , congratulations
I often find myself on the floor staring up at the ceiling fan whenever I have a lot on my mind and my heart is feeling heavy! Congratulations on top story, Heather!
I've been waiting to see this one on the list. Congratulations!
I missed this- thank goodness it is a Top Story! This spoke to me today, and I thank you: And I think about standing. However, today is not that day. Instead I've taken to kneeling,
Okay Heather, I know I say this a lot, but I think this is my new favorite poem of yours!
Oh my, how on Earth am I just seeing this? This is so vulnerable, yet at the same time, it resonates with such strength. I am constantly in awe of how you pull these thoughts out of such abstract spaces and give them life, my friend! So relatable and real. This speaks to me on son many levels. Congratulations on an amazing Top Story! 🥹❤️🤗🤗 And, hugs to you!
There it is! Congrats on the TS, Empress.
Congratulations on your Top Story
Congratulations on your Top Story 🎉💖💯😉
I was,telling one of my customers about your poem today. She seemed to really identify with the ideas you were expressing. It relaxed her that someone else felt like she did
It's always okay to try taking just one small step each day. And it's always okay to just lie there for however long we want to. Progress and healing is messy and subjective. We only move as fast as we can, not as fast as people expect us to. Sending you lots of love and hugs my looney partner! 💖