The day I lost my smile
This is how I remember it
We were two girls,
seventeen and eighteen,
Sundays belonged to us.
Long hours leaning out of windows,
hair flung into the wind,
laughing at nothing,
and everything.
Rose drove her old car,
a certain symbol of freedom,
the kind of machine that rattled
when she touched the clutch,
but carried us
like a promise
through the city streets.
That afternoon
was ordinary until it wasn’t.
Rose turned her head,
a shop window caught her eye,
some innocent distraction,
and I,
in the split-second clarity of fear,
I saw it first.
The lorry,
still and waiting,
an immovable wall
that rushed towards us
as though it were alive.
I wanted to scream her name,
but the crash happened before I could.
The world broke open.
I tasted iron and salt,
blood filling my mouth
with its awful truth.
My tongue brushed absence,
now half of a tooth left,
a tooth that once made my smile whole.
No belts strapped us in;
the law had not yet learned
what we already knew in that instant,
how fragile a body is.
Rose’s silence was heavier
than the crumpled bonnet.
My own breath
was a storm of glass and pain.
Afterwards,
I carried shame like a second skin.
I learned to live behind my hand,
shielding my mouth,
hiding the broken proof
of that Sunday.
Even now,
decades later,
with the tooth long repaired,
I do not smile.
Something in me was struck still
against that lorry,
caught in the red echo of metal,
forever remembering
how quickly joy can turn
to silence.
It still makes me cry.
About the Creator
Susan Fourtané
Susan Fourtané is a Science and Technology Journalist, a professional writer with over 18 years experience writing for global media and industry publications. She's a member of the ABSW, WFSJ, Society of Authors, and London Press Club.
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By Cathy Schieffelin4 days ago in Humor
Comments (28)
This is an incredibly raw and powerful memory, capturing the sudden, devastating fragility of youth and the enduring trauma of a split second
Tragic to carry that weight but you've created a beautiful piece of art in its wake. Congrats on top story.
Susan, congratulations on your top story and for making the leaderboard! I am so sorry you experienced this, and I can only imagine the long-term effects this horrific event has had on you.
Heartbreaking, but beautiful at the same time. You perfectly capture the juxtaposition of innocence and loss, and how such a fleeting impact can leave invisible scars that last a lifetime.
Your poem, Susan, weaves a haunting tapestry of innocence shattered in an instant. The vivid imagery—the wind-tossed hair, the rattling car as a symbol of fleeting freedom, and that inexorable lorry—evokes a profound sense of vulnerability that lingers long after reading.
it is worth reading! sad to hear about the lost!
Feeling sad for you 😢 btw Congratulations on the Top Story!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
“ the law had not yet learned what we already knew in that instant, how fragile a body is.” Beautifully said. Wonderful piece. Congrats on top story!
“ the law had not yet learned what we already knew in that instant, how fragile a body is.” Beautifully said. Wonderful piece. Congrats on top story!
I am so sorry this happened to you 😢 Congratulations on the Top Story!
You express an incident that happened along time ago with such clarity you would have thought it happened yesterday. Amazing how some people learn while others ignore the close call. I hope you smile again. Congratulations on Top Story
Yippee Congrats on your Top Story Susan!🎉🥳
That… is heartbreaking. Not the kind of thing that can be fun to write about or to read, but your story is undeniably well told. Sorry for the pain and loss you endured.
What a traumatic experience shared so expertly in this beautiful poem. Congratulations on your honorable mention on the Leaderboard this week!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
I saw you on the leaderboard amongst the honorable mention. Congrats 🎉🎉
I'm speechless...and I could taste the iron and salt that told your story. Well done!
Great entry. You're both lucky❤️
Stunning writing, Susan! This is a winner! I'm glad that you are okay!
You told it well and brought me shivers, Lucky you survived.
It's hard when we live with trauma. Sending hugs x
One moment can change a life.
This is so sad, but a great entry for the challenge.
Omgggg, this was so terrifying! I'm glad both of you made it out alive. Sending you lots of love and hugs ❤️