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Postpartum

Free Verse Poem

By Aspen Marie Published 9 months ago 1 min read
Photograph: mine

Trigger warning: Postpartum depression

In a giant washing machine

Tumbling, bruising

Do your best

Not to drown

In six inches of water

Gravity's law holds little sway

No psychological vestibular system

To properly orient you in space

The mind is relentless, conjuring Death’s claim

On the infant in arms

That owns your heart and soul

Food tastes like ash and water burns

Through Dante’s inferno

Your head faces your ass

Each concentric circle of internal torture is not contrapasso

There is no poetic justice

Refining your character

Absolution granted after endless trials

SSRIs and sleep

To repair a broken consciousness

And weary body

Grief departs with a turned back

Skulking away to melt into cerulean sky

Up is up and down is down once more

Joy creeps back in

Present in sticks and rocks

Collected by little hands who possess

A mighty grip

Perdurable treasure

In a temporal world

Free Verse

About the Creator

Aspen Marie

In love with life and all of its foibles.

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Comments (2)

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  • Dharrsheena Raja Segarran9 months ago

    Oh wow, this was so intense and hard hitting. Perdurable is a new word for me. Loved your poem!

  • angela hepworth9 months ago

    This was so devastatingly visceral, Marie. A powerful piece.

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