Beauty, once obvious innately
Deemed lacking in utility
What good’s a vase used only for visibility?
Then shattered prejudicially
Replaced by a lamp, rich in functionality
Beauty repurposed harshly
Forced into a new mold awkwardly
But look at the efficiency!
Isn’t this room a little bland now, sweetie?
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A/N:
Source Image can be found here:
Written for A Mikeydred One Week Sad Poem Challenge For All Vocal Creators.
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About the Creator
Matthew J. Fromm
Full-time nerd, history enthusiast, and proprietor of arcane knowledge.
Here there be dragons, knights, castles, and quests (plus the occasional dose of absurdity).
I can be reached at [email protected]
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Boons and Curses
Before him lay his doom. Exasperated, Imperator Valatious collapsed into his chair. Beyond the hide walls of his tent, the evening air hung disquietingly still. He ran his weathered hands through a grease-stained mane of brown hair, uncut since the campaign began.
By Matthew J. FrommExclusive • about a year ago
1:49am
4/16/25 1:49am I want to breathe death in my larynx and feel loose change in the torn and raggedy pockets of my mother’s cardigan. The water is next to the bed. It’s not cold and never will be. So I guess what’s left is us; we will walk with crooked feet on a path carved by ancient societies. You will borrow my shoes. I will taste vengeance in my tea and convince myself it’s good for my liver. Coffee is fine too. Yes, that’s all. I will think about how I want to kiss you and, the clouds, they will rise to space, and leaves, they will glue their limbs back together. The sun has been out for weeks. This screw isn’t any looser than when I bought it. But I will wake up and I will be in the ship that splits in two and slide my sullen palms across its tundric pillow. I never took swimming lessons so whatever happens is meant to be. I’m sorry if that upsets you. I’m sorry I said that. Anyway, I want to lie nude in wildflowers with ants who build colonies and worms who can’t see. You have a problem with textures. You can’t help it. I could try to tell you things, like how I want my children to understand how little everything is and to not be afraid of the giant fingers that grab at sewing needles in their dreams. I could say it always scared me. It’s just not right. But listen, back to it: I want to indulge in passion and binge affection. Is it a sin if it helps? I will endure the things I am given and inculcate everyone around me to do the same. Do five laps around the block before you respond, whatever helps. I will tell you I want harmony to be palpable and wheels of recognition to be locked in an imperishable gear. Refill the pot if it’s empty. What I want has nothing to do with me. Diagonal tile is cold, you know, and my hair gets crunchy after too long out there. I want this lesson to end.
By Olivia Dodge5 days ago in Poets
Comments (14)
It perfectly captures the way society sometimes undervalues intrinsic beauty and forces it into a mold of "usefulness." The final question, "Isn't this room a little bland now, sweetie?" is a brilliant mic drop – it leaves the reader pondering the true cost of sacrificing beauty for mere functionality. This piece is both insightful and deeply moving.✨👍
really nice and relatable
Very nicely done.
The rhyme in this really clipped along nicely. I dare say efficiently. Yet also beautifully.
Oooo, that was so profound! Loved your poem!
Excellent words worthy of a top story. Love the image
Very nice
Wonderfully done, Matthew
Just knocking it out the park these days, Matthew! love the discussion of practicality over something that is just beautiful!
Perfect lines on both lyric and art
This poem hits with such clever tension between practicality and beauty!
This worked exceedingly well. Believe me. 😎👏
Perhaps some tenderness and sensitivity are being lost. Amazing poem ✨
Beautiful job and thank you for sharing this symbolic piece! :)