Living in an Ashtray
Wandering Thoughts
Lives.
Burning away
like unattended cigarettes in an ashtray.
Teetering on the edge of collapse.
Threatening to fall into the abyss
of wasted oblivion,
leaving nothing but a trail of scattered ashes
soon to be sucked into a vacuum.
Future obscured by the smoky air of forgetfulness.
Present dimmed by simple indifference.
Putrid stench of past decisions made.
Choking on consequences
and coughing up the remains of what once was.
Stained fingers.
Stained souls.
Hearts blackened by anger.
Lungs blackened by years of
living in an ashtray.
Huddled side by side with
wasted filters of existence,
all drowning in a sea of bitter ashes.
Suffocating on memories of the touch of sweet lips,
never to be touched again.
Just sitting with those wasted filtered nothings,
dreading (maybe hoping for) the moment of being dumped
like the trash they are,
like the garbage they ever will be.
Thrown into the ever-increasing numbers of lost souls
in the land of no one gives a shit.
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
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
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Comments (66)
Wow... what more can I say but Wow!!😢
So much bitterness in here!
Wow! So intense but captivating nonethelss. Brilliantly done! 🤍
One that I had missed so glad I can give you a read
Oh my, this was so so powerful and raw. Especially loved this - "Hearts blackened by anger. Lungs blackened by years of living in an ashtray. " Thanks for sharing it Cathy!!
Cathy this is fantastic with wonderful imagery. Congratulations on being Top Story 💕🙂
Very good
Tell it like it T-I IS, Cathy! *Both fists in the air and foot poised for well-placed kicks to bureaucratic BS that chokes the life out of people and planet* So sorry for the delayed congratulations on your top story but still up for a party where we sharpen your poem to a razor-grade pointy ensemble and do naughty things to get the attention of the "leadership."
That was powerful!
Woww
Whoa! This spoke for all of us. Well said. Now get a punching bag and beat the sucker up. Well said Cathy.
Wow
Wow... perfect lines, Well done
Every word in every line resonated with who I've now become. I am the cigarette left behind in the ashtray, waiting to be dumped like the trash I am. You have no idea how much I love this poem. I wish I can frame this and hang it in my room. You know what, I don't wanna be the cigarette in the ashtray waiting to be dumped. I wanna be the cigarette that burns the fingers of those who dare to touch me. Your poem is so inspirational!
A thoughtful piece Cathy. Lots of parallels here! 😊
Wow. Well done!
Very straight and truthful words! This is a brilliant act of speaking out.
This was...yeah. Powerful and just full of emotion. Stunning. Well done and congrats on TS! Thoroughly well deserved!
Ooof and ouch!! I think you just punched me in the face. Love this in a sadistic, great poem respect way. 👊❤
Well done, this one stands out, it has a deeper meaning. Congratulations
Congrats on your top story! 🎉 This speaks so much truth! Very well done!
Amazing poem. Congrats!
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ARTICLES
Congratulations
It's very sad. Great though.