Garland of Red


They’re only over exuberant children.
Boys will be boys...What breaks
didn’t have enough backbone.

Turning, dodging, my name turned foul
by a bully’s chorus edging the dance closer
to bruise my skin.

Don’t cry! Don’t cry! If the dirty words
bring a tear, my dreams will be infected.

The snow outside is writing a Christmas card
in the school yard…I’ll be a garland of red.

©Susie Clevenger 2017

Real Toads ~ Cruel

Comments

Marian said…
Argh, that bully's chorus. And don't react! Or twice the pain. Felt this one all the way through, Susie.
October 13, 2017 at 10:03 AM
Jazzbumpa said…
Yes.

So much of this in real life.

I was bullied to in grade school.

It's not only girls who suffer.

But they get the brunt of it, I fear.

namaste
JzB
October 13, 2017 at 1:41 PM
Sanaa Rizvi said…
Bullying is such a vicious cycle.. and it is portrayed eloquently here in your verse.
October 13, 2017 at 2:49 PM
Jim said…
I too was bullied in high school, got beat up in the boys room. I am afraid though, that 'crimson on snow' is a zillion times worse than bullying.
October 13, 2017 at 4:16 PM
wishfulpennywell said…
"...my dreams will be infected" excellent portrayal - I like the image of infected dreams, feels like rotting out from the inside
October 13, 2017 at 4:22 PM
purplepeninportland.com said…
Powerful statement, Susie. Those last two lines feel like a punch.
October 13, 2017 at 7:03 PM
Anonymous said…
'What breaks didn't have enough backbone.'

Such a damning lie.
October 14, 2017 at 3:54 AM
tonispencer said…
The last two lines of this are incredible. Once you stop the bully, it will stop. amazing how women are not taught at an early age how to do stand up for themselves. Folks tried to bully me by I was taught from an early age to stand up for myself - and my grandfather and father both taught me how to box!
October 14, 2017 at 1:12 PM
brudberg said…
Shiver... this bring back awful memories... being bullied you lean that whatever you try it's always wrong.
October 14, 2017 at 3:28 PM
Margaret said…
I feel this too - I was made fun of in school. But boys get a bad rap as they are often considered the bullies. I think they are more physical. I think the scares left on me were more by the girls - the verbal abuse was awful.
October 15, 2017 at 11:01 AM
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