Cardboard Puzzle


Her life a cardboard puzzle,
pieces cut by moments,
memories, mistakes.
It all fit together
until it all fell apart.

She was living behind a picket fence
on a cookie cutter cloned street
where smiles were painted on
and perfect neighbors lived in perfect houses.

Secrets were kept behind hinged doors
and truth was anesthetized by lies.
But bruises could not be silent
when bones began to break.

Lights turned the picket fences red
as siren’s shattered suburbia’s quiet.
This time her husband’s blows to her body
had given her a voice.

As she was carried across
the puzzle pieces that had been her life
a policeman asked her,
Mam, do you wish to press charges?”

She looked into her husband’s eyes
to make certain he would know;
then she turned to the officer
and spoke an emphatic, “Hell yes!”


©Susie Clevenger 2012
This was written for Kellie Elmore's Free Write Friday in which she challenged us to create a written piece from this photograph.

Comments

Ella said…
Powerful, so much pain in the puzzle of your words~ I loved the imagery. The effect of your voice, in this haunting poem! Whoah...well done
Maude Lynn said…
At the end, I wanted to yell "hell, yeah" with her!
Sage Ravenwood said…
Took a while, but eventually I learned. Love was never meant to come at the end of a fist.

Since then I've been the puzzle piece that never quite fits the whole. I like it that way.

Wonderful imagery. (Hugs)Indigo
Ed Pilolla said…
the repetitive images of the fence with changing colors and the cut pieces really powered this.
Ellecee said…
Yes, a powerful poem about an important subject . You have a gift, Susie. Thank you for sharing it.
Ellecee said…
Yes, a powerful poem about an important subject . You have a gift, Susie. Thank you for sharing it.
Mara said…
Suburbia Land is often like that: everything looking the same with those fake plastic smiles. I know, for I live in one, ha, ha! :)

Anyway, I couldn't help but laugh a little at the end of this poem. As you write it, one is not expecting such an explosive answer (well, at least I wasn't). I'm glad she reported him though. :)

Great read! :)

P.S. Hope you'll come "visit" me.
kellie said…
SUSIE! woman... I do not know how on earth I missed this! I thought I RT'd it and then came to read, or vice versa. I know I have seen that you submitted but, I dont know, I guess I got distracted somewhere or something. I am sorry! :( I have to tell you i am glad I did finally get here though. This put a lump in my throat, Susie. I dont know where you had to go to reach this place or get this story but, it really touched me and broke my heart. Thank you for writing for me again. Love when a poem makes me feeeel. xoxoxoxox