My body is not a coffin
to hold the pain you’ve given me,
buried deep beneath the heavy earth, -
muffling struggles to be freed.
***
With the scraping of a pickaxe,
stifled secrets are exhumed -
No longer left to suffocate
in this dark and breathless gloom.
***
Scratching to find purchase
upon the shaky ground,
I pull myself from a hole so deep,
intended never to be found.
***
The brilliant stars will guide my steps
as I stagger from the graveyard.
Filled with haunting memories,
the iron gates I see, not far.
***
Shaking loose remaining dirt
I’ll decompose no more.
Thank you for reading!
About the Creator
KJ Aartila
A writer of words in northern WI with a small family and a large menagerie.
My Substack
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from KJ Aartila and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (6)
Beautiful and powerful!
I love this Keila!! Don't let other people's pains bear your down! I love it
Wow, loved the sense of liberation in this poem! Very well done!
Loved the title! This poem was such a masterful blend of darkness and triumph. Very well done :)
Oh my. This is an incredible story of triumph over torture. Well done.
Surreal! Morbid imagery yet victorious. Love the contrast. Great work.