She raises a bloodied Fist
not so much in triumph
as defiance –
Fist brittle-caked in
a shame so thick
it bleeds in blushes.
She shakes this cupped and twisted
gauntlet at very God,
and drinks rain,
and wakes to dawn,
and grows tired of the charade.
Ambivalence rips deep –
what if the sky’s blue
is for her?
The rain, a gentle nursing?
Unleashing the Fist
into a cup to hold blessing
might undo the last thread
that pretends to hold her together.
She grits her teeth against the
laceration
and pries. one. knuckle.
from its cradle,
saying good-bye to
the Fist.
Meanwhile, Melody Muses... 
Excellent photo. Yes, unleash the fist and hold the blessing 🙂
I think she is ready to do just that… 😀
Wow – this makes me think of gladiators in an arena more than a flower, honestly. Powerful.
Life is rather similar to a gladiator ring in many ways, isn’t it? Thank you…
BRILLIANT!!! This is VERY POWERFUL! I love how visual this poem is. You paint potent and striking pictures with your words. A masterpiece!!
Thank you so much. I am humbled by your words – I really appreciate them!
Wow, very raw today (must be something in the air). God bless you, my dear friend Mel–love, sis Caddo
Thank you. I’m so, so glad that you consider me a sister. That means a lot to me, tonight…
Oh bless your heart, Sis Mel–I’ll get us both boo-hooing, but I never dreamed how far God would go to make good on some of His promises. Having “lost” my siblings, He has given me the choicest of the lot–here in the blog neighborhood. And it’s not about “deserving”, just that He loves us That Much!!
He is good on His promise, for those who have lost family, He provides a surrogate…
Yippee-Skippee, YAY! (Oops, I think I just got a stitch in my side…)
Strikingly a homerun !
🙂 Thank you, Deborah!
Another good lesson for me! Thank you, teacher Melody!
🙂 Just remember your homework, and all will be well. (And don’t say the dog ate it, either!)
I see a bust of hope coming out as she releases the fist! 😉
I do, too! She will soften, and grow, and give many people hope as she blooms. Thanks Rosy!