The Statue
Playing Pretend
There's no wind today
The sun blazes overhead
Baking the earth
Sizzling my skin
Searing the pain deep
Into the forgotten places
-
But I smile
I play pretend
For an audience that
Doesn't exist
-
No one is watching
They all pass by
Their heads turned down
Rushing to get back inside
Where it's cool and protected
Away from the angry sun
I'm alone out here
Waiting
Smiling
Pretending
Letting the sun seep deep
Into forgotten places
Slicing into my soul
With laser sharp heat
-
Day after day
I smile
-
Until
-
F i n a l l y
-
The clouds block out the sun
The world becomes dark
And the first drop falls
Icy cold against
My parched skin
Breaking the dam
And spreading through me
Like ripples on a pond
-
I tremble
I falter
I crumble
I cry out loud
No more a statue
To be ignored
I demand to be seen
I demand to be loved
As the rain falls
And the floods
Wash away the façade
-
But as quickly as it came
The rain clears
The clouds part
And the sun
Beats down upon me
The ripples dissipate
Fading away
As though they were
Never truly there
I resume my careful pose
Silent and serene
Once again
And
I smile
Playing pretend
For an audience
That doesn't exist
About the Creator
A. J. Schoenfeld
I only write about the real world. But if you look close enough, you'll see there's magic hiding in plain sight everywhere.
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By Cathy Schieffelin4 days ago in Humor
Comments (12)
Nice
I do so like this line: 'For an audience That doesn't exist' You take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride.
A very nice entry, AJ. <3
Lovely, thankyou for sharing and congratulations on Top Story xx
I like how this comes back to the start, almost unchanged, but not quite. "Letting the sun seep deep Into forgotten places"- this is a great line AJ, and I like how we get an angel personified. They see everything, and are always on display, even when we aren't looking. Makes me think a little of "Blink" from Doctor Who!
Woah. Thought I had commented, but turns out I had just read and liked it! This was beautiful, AJ! Love your imagery and evocative language and the fact that most lines are very sparse. Great control of language. Congrats on Top Story!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Well done
I always like poems that changes our perspective on an object, turning it to something human, and causing us to have empathy for it. Great job and congrats on the Top Story!
This was stunning—achingly human beneath the stone. The imagery is so vivid I could feel the sun, the rain, the collapse… and the return to stillness. A haunting reminder of how often we break in silence, unseen. Beautifully done.
I'm so sorry if this wasn't what you intended but your poem showed that life is a cycle and that everything is temporary. I loved it!
Beautiful words. Your imagery is so vivid.