.
She stands there quietly in the corner.
No one notices her silent form
save me.
Grayish skin, loose and wrinkled,
hangs on her large frame
as though she wears clothes two sizes too large.
.
No one wants to look at an unwelcome oaf.
.
Her scent assaults me despite our distance,
sweaty and salty,
a potent combination that pricks
my red-rimmed eyes,
with the acrid smell,
coating my tongue with cloying betrayal.
.
She shrinks in on herself when I turn away.
.
I can feel her nervous energy spreading
like an electric current,
running over my skin and
raising the hair on the back of my neck.
Her body subtly swaying
as she shifts
from foot to foot.
.
She knows she's not supposed to be here.
.
Her awkward movements make
the pressure in the room
inch and climb
until my head feels full and my ears
cry out with the need to–pop!
The silence in the aftermath is deafening.
.
She looks to you,
but you've got your head planted firmly in the sand.
.
Goose bumps break out across my flesh
as my eyes finally catch hers,
drawn like mayflies to a lamp.
A million unanswered questions
linger in my gaze and clog my throat.
Nothing but solemn gray stares back.
No answer but a simple nod and downcast eyes.
.
Her dismissal stings.
.
For she knows my miserable secret
and yours–
I told you that I loved you.
And you?
You told me you were leaving.
.
Now here I sit
as you pack your things
and stare at that damn elephant in the room.
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More stories from Heather Hubler and writers in Poets and other communities.
Drops of Molten Sun
Golden light drips and drops, stumbles and slips over the smooth curved edge of mottled yellow flesh. Ready to slide and slough onto the hardened ground like melted wax. An unforgiving resting place, no rest to be found. Withered and rotted, a feast for feathered friends.
By Heather Hubler12 months ago in Poets
It Only Took One Minute.......
It only took a minute. I was sitting at the computer in my office when the phone rang. I picked up the receiver and then laid it down my desk as I went to find the student who the call was for. Within seconds I was back at my desk, ready to resume typing, when I heard the student yelling obscenities at me for listening in to his call through the handset that was still lying on the desk. Sick and tired of the lies he was spewing, I was up running down the hall, ready to kill him. By the time I reached him, I had calmed enough not to hurt him, but as I turned back towards my room, I knew that I couldn’t go on like this any longer. The decision was clear. I had to leave.
By Gail Wylie6 days ago in Motivation
Comments (19)
So full of emotion. Loved this
Wow, this is amazing. Thick with emotion and weighted implications, I feel like I just intruded on something I shouldn’t have, yet have experienced myself. The last line just ties it all together so perfectly. ✨
The whole poem was gripping. It really captures you the whole way through. Haunting. Until the end. Been in that position before. ❤
Heather this is a standout piece! Gripping and emotional. You are so good!
This hurts. Like, this feels like a weirdly ghostly punch straight to the chest, and after it's been delivered the weight just sits there. Like as if the elephant in the room is pressing down upon my chest. I may be standing currently, but I'm slowly pushed down until my ribs begin to crack, their shrapnel-like shards disbursing out and lacerating my heart, veins, and traveling from my arteries. A thousand tiny cuts release the squall, the hurricane, of the sea of blood that discolors me and tears me apart from the inside. All from the blunt force of the elephant in the room. Who knew that something so big, so large, so magnificent, could cause such intricate, delicate, internal damage. No heat strings have been pulled, as they have been shredded like vines torn from the tusks of the mighty elephant, left to hang and dangle, leaking their precious life stream fluid, that used to connect the jungle that was my body. Nutrients spilled, scavenged off the forests floor by the microbiome, just as the love given has been retracted, only to be torn apart by the scavengers as what was left begins to rot, and its carrion draws in only those known to feast of what once was.
Oooooo. So good! Masterfully held back and boom! Weighty! 💜
Was genuinely expecting to see an image of your dog at the end of this! 😂
I felt my heart sink at the end, what a line.
Oof, the ending hit me hard! I had to go and reread from the beginning and saw it with a fresh pair of eyes. Also, I told him that I loved him and he told me he was leaving. So it was very relatable too. Loved this poem!
What a great ending! Love it!
And you were unsure of your poetry. My friend you are. I have nothing to say, this brought tears to my eyes.
Did not see that coming - bravo!
You finished it with a tip of the hat as you touched home plate, 😊
I have to admit I had to get to the end to realize it. Excellent poem, Heather!
I wasn't expecting that last line! Well done, Heather!
WOW! That last line. Great finish!
Oh damn. That last line got me. Incredible piece, my friend.
Damn fucking damn, Heather! You've hit it out the park again! So sad, so clever, but sad. Loved how you finished it off with that line. Bravo.
Stare at the Elephant 🐘👀😆Nice piece ❤️😉❗