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This Haunting

Written By: Kelsey Syble

By Kelsey SyblePublished 2 years ago β€’ Updated 2 years ago β€’ 1 min read
11
Image Source: Maria Orlova for Pexels.com

Sketches of a heart

in permanent ink

on thick elegant cardstock.

Tracings of a body

in lighthanded pencil

on cheap notebook paper.

Reimagining malicious apathy

into heartfelt friendship,

and forced pleasantries

into sincere compassion.

Delusions were born as a result,

if only to erase

the inescapable pain

of the deadliest game

she would ever play.

Chasing the passion

she found in books

and watched on the screen

led to this haunting.

His paper was crumbled

and burned in a fire

as if it were evidence

of something sinister.

But her cardstock was saved

in a locked box she couldn't find,

until the conversation of clarity

was eventually denied.

In the wake of tears

over wasted years,

she realized this was a blessing.

She had been set free.

So in the treacherous aftermath

of what she now knows,

she is left with one question:

Can you forget this haunting?

sad poetry
11

About the Creator

Kelsey Syble

A Southern-born-and-raised writer now navigating life in NYC.

πŸ“Έ πŸŽ₯ @kelseysyble

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  2. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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Comments (11)

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  • Brin J.4 months ago

    β€œShe had been set free.” I could feel the anxiety and stress throughout the entire poem up until that line. <3 Excellent use of words, poignant and evocative.

  • Donna Fox (HKB)4 months ago

    Wow, this was breathtaking and relatable and most certainly haunting! I'll be thinking about this one for a while, great work Kelsey!

  • Carly Bush6 months ago

    Wow! This is powerful. The very first three lines had me captivated. This is, unfortunately, an all-too-common experience nowadays, as much as people refuse to talk about it. Excellent work. I'm so glad I subscribed.

  • Mackenzie Davis6 months ago

    Wow, Kelsey, the metaphors here are stunningly tragic. So well crafted! The theme of self-delusion here is clear, and I love seeing how you use the thickness of card stock and permanent ink to contrast his thin notebook paper and light pencil scribbles, easily burned. The differences between each person's love and corresponding depth is just incredibly rendered here, and I truly adore your ending, of freedom, yet still with that haunting of what could have been, what ended up being, and the potential to repeat the same mistake in the future. Incredible texture and atmosphere! I really enjoyed this.

  • Cathy holmes6 months ago

    Wow. This is fabulous.

  • Dana Crandell6 months ago

    This is definitely not forgettable. So glad Poppy's piece brought me here. You have a new subscriber.

  • Hannah Moore6 months ago

    Fantastic evocation of their suffering investments, and the dangerous hopes she had. I loved the reimagining malicious apathy bit, I think we all know that scenario.

  • This was so poignant and relatable. I think sometimes, we just cannot forget it. Loved your poem!

  • I can't. Powerful imagery & haunting heartache.

  • Poppy 6 months ago

    Hey, just want to let you know I shared this poem in Poppy's Preferences. https://vocal.media/journal/poppy-s-preferences-pt6

  • Poppy 7 months ago

    Incredibly written!

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