Of Christmas Past, Present, and Future
It’s Christmas
and we celebrate the day
laying in each other’s arms,
legs intertwined, talking
about Christmas’ to come;
while I try to forget
Christmas’ past.
The memories of shouted words
and hands raised in anger
are now only a dull ache
where once the wounds seeped
with bitterness.
He wipes away a tear
that has found its way
from my brimming eyes
to land in a puddle upon his cheek
and pulls me closer
to kiss away the drops before they fall.
Somehow, he instinctively knows
where my mind is,
although he’s only shared those memories
through my words.
“Shhh..,” he whispers,
“let’s think about the future.”
But in the present,
safe within his arms,
I let the tears fall;
washing away the pain
and think of this Christmas
as a time of healing.
Author notes
I lived in an abusive marriage for 17 years before I found the courage and the strength to leave. Although those days are long behind me, sometimes the memories surface and from time to time those scars still bleed. Anyone who has ever lived in this situation knows that by far holidays are the worst. This poem is for Rodger who ignores the scars, bandages the wounds, and gives me hope for tomorrow 
Written March 19th, 2005
A contest entry
- Christmas from New Perspectives by micol.
800 points, ended December 10, 2007, 8 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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The poem speaks simply and directly of love and healing...both an integral part of Christmas regardless of one's religious or spiritual attitudes. A difficult subject treated well, without excess or sentimentality. Congratulations.
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Thank you very much for your kind words
Ruth
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I commend you for your courage to finally escape such an abusive time and person. You captured those years within this piece and you should be very proud of yourself! Good job and good luck to you!
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excellent poem, inspiring hope and nice reference to the classics, i very much enjoyed reading this. May you always be able to brighten the gloomy nights in your life with hopes like stars.
peace,
myno -
wow so amazing. i adore this poem. so touching. this is so sad, i hope if this is true, that you can get through it. good luck and kudos on this poem.
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this is a beautiful poem. i am so sorry for what you have gone through and i am so happy for you that you are now able to move on with your life. holidays are the worst time to remember times like those. whenever january 25th comes up, i cry, because that was my anniversary with who i thought i was going to live the rest of my life with. i was never in a relationship like that but your words have helped me to know what it must have been like. amazing poem. well done.
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Coming at this from a different abuse perspective, I know the feeling well... The difference is that I'm an adult now... The pain lessons with each tear we shed and with each write... and this one is heart felt and familiar to me... The power alone is astounding... excellent job... and good luck to you in the contest
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I've been is such a relationship, and can really identify with this poem. Even when it's long over, the pain sometimes creeps back uninvited. Beautiful write, very honest and emotional. Good job and good luck.
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i can totally relate...being in an abusive (emotionally) relationship myself and having been in other types of abusive relationships, i know how hard it is to get out
i also know how it feels to finally get out, how hard it is for each wound to heal, externally and internally
thank you for sharing, an absolutely beautiful write
kay -
Wonderful! Very emotion filled and uplifting. I am so glad that you have found your way to a better life. I also admire your giving others hope who may be in such a situation. Grat job. God Bless, Penny
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crystaldust 19-03-05 17:38
Strange, isn't it, Ruth, how all these things happen at Christmas? Or, maybe not so strange because everyone is keyed up. But this is about Christmas now, not then or even when, and it's a beautiful poem. It tells of feeling safe and cared for and the words fit, the form fits and the emotion is settled - even the sadness is settled. So, I hope you have many now Christmases to write about.
Joy
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Beautiful
I'm speechless...you've capture my emotions perfectly. I spend Christmas alone (for the first time)and thought about the past.....and couldn't deal with the future. I loved the feeling and the hope for next year. -
Very moving. Seriously. I haven't really words to comment about the poem but I felt I should write something just to say I read it. Really pleased you left the bastard, no one deserves that!
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