I used to be limestone
And you were hewn from a coarse-grained granite
Our friction made me smooth
You shaped me into something quite special
That sparkled in sunlight
But when my edges started to crumble
I questioned your firmness
So unyielding and unwilling to change
You left me with no choice
Except to alter my composition
Of course you followed suit
Till our iron wills were evenly matched
Now we're two types of quartz
That keep crashing into one another
Wearing each other down
Wondering will the other break apart
But what if no one does?
Striking stones together generates heat
And then a spark ignites
Will it become a fire of refinement
Making us both stronger
Or will it bring us to our melting points?
I suppose time will tell
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions


Comments (15)
The imagery you chose here is exquisite refinement. I revel in the progression of it. Beautiful!
Very clever, D.K.! Which way will it go? Only time will tell. Heavy Hitter: "You left me with no choice, Except to alter my composition."
Science as a metaphor for relationship. This is both beautiful and a little scary, DK! I loved it!
Such a lovely poem, DK <3
Cleverly beautiful imagery from start to finish. Science & relationships… interesting combo. Like the possibility of a good outcome.
This is amazing! It sounds silly, but there are not enough poems about rocks out there and I love how you used them to convey such a deeply relatable sentiment. Beautifully done!
DK, first off, love the new profile pic!! Second, this poem was hauntingly beautiful!! That last line was perfect, well done!!
This poem is great, D.K. Gave me that anxious feeling you get when making a big decision. Thanks for sharing ❤️
Oh wow, it could go either way and the saddest part is, we would never know the outcome unless we go down that path. Loved your poem!
Dk - Skinned Knees are always Prevalent but Mere~Stones will never truly harm us...! Jk
You're such a talented poet DK. It is hard to know with relationships whether you're bringing out the best or the worst in each other. I thought this sounded more optimistic at the end. Love it.
I agree with Paul, as sad as most of the poem sounds, there’s still hope for that spark. I feel the need to ponder this one.
A beautifully layered metaphor — love, change, resistance, and the slow erosion or refinement that comes with deep connection. The line "Now we're two types of quartz" really struck me. Sometimes the spark is creation, sometimes combustion. Stunning work.
It is easy to dwell upon how we are affected by others, but this is an elegantly balanced reflection upon the reciprocal, imbricated dynamics of every relationship. I thoroughly enjoyed this poem!
Oh, read this twice. Exquisite. And I like that you've tagged it as Sad, but really...I don't necessarily see it that way. It has the potential to be a sad outcome. But, there's that potential there. Is this about current stuff? Or not autobiographical at all? (I always presume that yours are, like mine, autobiographical unless you say different.) You're quietly inspirational with your command of language and form and even with free verse, there is a movement, a flow to it all. Loved it!