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Abrasion

A Poem

By D.K. ShepardPublished 6 months ago Updated 6 months ago 1 min read
Abrasion
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

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

sad poetry

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Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now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.

dkshepard.com

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  3. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  1. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

Add your insights

Comments (15)

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  • The Dani Writer5 months ago

    The imagery you chose here is exquisite refinement. I revel in the progression of it. Beautiful!

  • Marilyn Glover6 months ago

    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."

  • John Cox6 months ago

    Science as a metaphor for relationship. This is both beautiful and a little scary, DK! I loved it!

  • Mother Combs6 months ago

    Such a lovely poem, DK <3

  • Cleverly beautiful imagery from start to finish. Science & relationships… interesting combo. Like the possibility of a good outcome.

  • Silver Daux6 months ago

    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!

  • Test6 months ago

    DK, first off, love the new profile pic!! Second, this poem was hauntingly beautiful!! That last line was perfect, well done!!

  • Kenny Penn6 months ago

    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!

  • Jay Kantor6 months ago

    Dk - Skinned Knees are always Prevalent but Mere~Stones will never truly harm us...! Jk

  • Caroline Craven6 months ago

    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.

  • Sean A.6 months ago

    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.

  • D. J. Reddall6 months ago

    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!

  • Paul Stewart6 months ago

    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!

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