To the Floor That Grounds Me
An Irregular Ode
You’re the first thing I touch when I drag my unwilling self out of bed in the morning.
You hold me up when I just want to throw myself back down.
You’re the last thing I touch when I am as spent as the day that’s passed,
before I, finally, get to rest my aching feet and my aching soul.
You’re the first to welcome me in,
and the last to bid me adieu.
In good days and bad, through sunshine and storms,
whether I’m burning with passion or frozen with fear;
you’re always there to greet me
when sanctuary welcomes me home.
*
I can stand on you and you’ll never complain.
You’ll just hold me up and keep me balanced,
when my entire world seems askew.
I can sit on you to rest my weary bones, and my weary mind.
You’ll cry not a whimper.
Even though you’re already struggling to support the walls that surround you,
You’ll happily support me too.
You’ll take on my struggles, marry them with your own,
and spread them out across your cool tiles;
until we find the perfect equilibrium.
*
And on those days when everything falls apart, I can lay myself down on you
and trust that you’ll catch me when I can stand no more.
You won’t judge me.
Even when your shining wood is stained with my tears, you won’t judge.
You won’t condescend.
You’ll never offer unwelcome advice or complain about the added burden I’ve placed on you.
You’ll just lie there with me,
quietly holding me in place so I don’t fall into the abyss.
Then you’ll remind me, from the cool comfort of your tiles,
that from down here, there’s nowhere to go but up.
About the Creator
Cathy holmes
Canadian family girl with a recently discovered love for writing. Other loves include animals and sports.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Comments (30)
This was an amazing ode ❤️
gorgeous, heartfelt & inspiring! Go Gurl! 💪🏾
Nowhere to go but up, I love it 😁
So impressed by your ability to take an everyday object and turn it into something like this! Outstanding 😎
Love this. I'll will look at the floor much differently❤️ Beautiful Cathy ♥️
Whoaaaaa, those last 5 lines were superb! It was sooooo deep and motivational! Excellent ode!
A terrific ode Cathy. Very charming and uplifting!! 😊
well done!
This is just perfect. Great job.
Cathy, this was an inspiring and thought provoking poem/ ode! I love the abstract take you have on this challenge and how insightfully written this was! This was so clever and creative, I really enjoyed it!
Was sure I had read this, but I hadn't. A wonderful ode and a Top Story or Challenge place or moth, I am sure
Amazing ode, my friend!! Powerful, beautifully done, and so clever 🤗
Well done. Great ode. That last line ignited all the melancholy .. I can feel my spirit looking up with you. ❤
Stunning, compelling, and so very honest. I love everything about this.
I am unsurprising at how good this is! LOL! GREAT ode!!
I have to say, you floored me with this one, Cathy. But yours must be pretty sturdy. Mine groans when I walk across it.
Nice one!
Awesome take on the challenge Cathy. Love it 😊
I love the way your mind works. I don’t think anyone else would do an ode to the floors of their home, but I actually do appreciate mine. That last line is perfect. 💫
😳🥹you have created a touching image. Fabulous job friend ❤️❤️
Wowser...this is incredible, buddy! Well done. Definitely counts and definitely an excellent entry!
My friend, you nailed it!!! Sent a virtual (hug)!!!❤️❤️💕
👏🏾 Beautiful!!!! Your piece made my floors go from barely thought of to a friend. Seriously, I will never take my floors for granted again.
A great Entry piece ❤️💯💥📝😉
This is absolutely fantastic! Well done my friend!