I Laughed in the Labyrinth
Wonderland Challenge Day 22
Since childhood, I’ve had recurring nightmares about being lost in endless hallways, or mazes that twist back on themselves no matter which turn I take.
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I dance in the belly of the maze, shoes too bright for the dust,
juggling bones and punchlines through corridors where shadows flinch at sound,
each twist a joke I once told myself to keep the dark amused,
each dead-end a place I’ve already wept in, quietly, with the bells still chiming.
The walls breathe like old lungs and taste of iron and something sweeter,
a memory perhaps, of when I laughed and it wasn’t a sound tucked in velvet.
They watch me—those who never escaped—
and I grin, wider than pain allows,
because joy, even when false, echoes louder in the maze.
I tell riddles to the ceiling and pretend the answers matter,
skip like a child who’s forgotten their way home
and knows, somewhere deep,
that the labyrinth was never real.
The joke is mine, always was,
and soon, even I will forget the horror.
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About the Creator
Diane Foster
I’m a professional writer, proofreader, and all-round online entrepreneur, UK. I’m married to a rock star who had his long-awaited liver transplant in August 2025.
When not working, you’ll find me with a glass of wine, immersed in poetry.
Keep reading
More stories from Diane Foster and writers in Poets and other communities.
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Comments (8)
This poem describes the fear of being lost in a maze while at the same time, capturing the wonder of it as well.
Are you using maze and labyrinth interchangeable here? Because they are not the same.
Congrats on Top Story. That must be an exhausting experience to wake up from such a dream
'The walls breathe like old lungs and taste of iron and something sweeter' This line really brought me into the atmosphere of the maze. I love figurative writing like this! I have a recurring dreams when I feel like I'm running in sand and can't get away from danger. It's horrible!
That line “each twist a joke” was excellent, as was the whole poem, very well done!
I recognized David Bowie in the picture but can't say I've seen the movie like Randy and Mike! 😅 Either way, this poem is so haunting and beautiful, Diane. Such a great take for Ellie's challenge. Congrats on the Top Story! 🎉
I love that the picture you created shows David Bowie in the Labyrinth. It's been a long time since I have seen that movie.
I love the film, and I wrote a story about a glass maze, stolen from Lovecraft. Great poetry