Nerve Endings
The roots of trauma
Ancestral voltage charges and repolarizes, thus there is me in all my petrichor polarity - sane and sorted, HA, or psychosomatic and pyrrhic?
Anchored by poison leaves, like latticework decorating my body and simulacra soul, I'm just like they were. Lives lived in l-i-m-i-n-a-l-i-t-y, phasing patchworks of ill kin likened to the next.
Atrophied and stratified. Root causes supplant rationality; ?logic? casts no seed among this familial tree.
Anathema is the last branch I swing from, for there will be no lineage beneath my dysphoric brush. Obdured moods and minds pepper this salt-shaken ground.
Abhorrent beginnings need not end in resultant burdens of regret. Lifetimes spring forth opportune paradigms, and the challenge is snapping birch to claim.
And I will.
Acerbic limbs in tow, acrimonious gait ready for the keeper, I'll sway to the balmacaan beat of my own fruitful drum. Time is essence, yet an equinox beckons.
Anaclastic hands are here to shape a future (not foretold, this is my story) of phosphonic possibilities.
Aphotic air always clears. The muck and murk of hereditary soil surely hardens, calcifies, and divots to pluvial ash. Beseeching miracle mistrals, but every breath hurts now.
Alas, change is chaptered, and I'm the epilogue of ecdysis.
Anthropogenic sap bleeds bane from my arbor - fuck it - I'm branch-ward rising with spite in spite of felled geneses, tUrNiNg AnD tWiStiNg over one new metamorphic leaf.
(c) Edward Swafford 2025
***TITLE IMAGE URL.
About the Creator
Edward Swafford
Hello! I'm an Australian writer, copywriter, and healthcare professional. I've written on Medium for over two years and also run Black Coffee Creative on Substack (over 900 subscribers).
Edgy syntax is my bailiwick.
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
Keep reading
More stories from Edward Swafford and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (22)
Ohhhh, I do love this one. Subscribed to your work.
This is so artisfully crafted, unique. It's lovely to find people like you who make art out of words. Well done.
I join the ranks of those who discovered you because of this great poem. Its quality and creativity are on a different plane. Your syntax is jarring and pleasing at the same time. I could list every line as "one of my favorites." Instead, I'll point out "...the challenge is snapping birch to claim..." as a line that particularly impacted me. Clearly deserving of a win. Congratulations and I look forward to reading more of your work.
Any attempt to comment on this I fear will look shitty shoddy and shameful. But. Fuck it I will try. I love this and I'm sorry to say I've not been subscribed to you until now. This fucking slaps. I love how verbose it is and the formatting but, crucially without losing sense of purpose and meaning. I am not surprised it was singled out as a winner because had I read it and it had not been I'd have started a fucking riot. Congrats Edward.
Beautiful work
What a wordsmith, I love the way that you incorporated alliteration in your poem. And the word choice itself is exquisite to say the least, you have taught me a few new words! :)
i never met you before, but wow, just wow! I see many of my fave words, petrichor, anathema...powerhouse this is. Congratulations a'plenty.
Masterpiece indeed, love the gut wrench of the piece. Congrats.
Masterpiece! Congratulations on your win!
Congratulations on your win, Edward! I was happy to see you being recognized🧡
Congratulations Edward!
Congratulations on your win! Your poem was so intense and emotional. Wonderfully written!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Wow, what a rush. A masterclass in abstraction. 👏👏👏👏🌈congrats on the win
Congratulations on your win!
Congratulations, Edward, on your win❣ I am so happy for you.💖
Sharp and thought provoking. Loved the structure and lyricism, well done
Wow, Edward, you are surely on a roll. Might I predict another win here?!! Language-rich, outstanding imagery; a heavy hitter, for sure!🌹
The language here is fierce and electric it perfectly mirrors the intensity of the theme.
This is so rich with imagery. I loved the rhythm and flow of the language.
This one goes deep. Great work, Edward.
This is brilliant, Sir. Your command of the language and the way you weave it is really impressive. This is surreal. I love it. The structure is great too. True artistry. ⚡️💙⚡️