The footfall's sound was muffled by the wild autumn breeze.
The face was hidden from me by the shadow of the trees
The scent of rain and rotting leaves hung heavy in the air
But I do not remember this because I was not there.
I was not driven to my knees with the single painful blow
If there was a scream to hear, I don't profess to know.
If threat was made against my life, to that I'd never swear,
There is no tale for me to tell, because I was not there.
There were no words of tenderness whispered in my ear,
Nor kindness in the hand that tried to soothe away my fear.
He did not say "I love you" as he gently stroked my hair
None of these things happened then, because I was not there.
No bitter taste of stinging tears, no smell of rain and blood
There was no violation in the in the stinking autumn mud.
I didn't hear my cries of pain or anger or despair,
I did not hear a single sound because I was not there.
Years gone, I watch the autumn leaves swirling in the wind,
And I question if this distant dream had ever had an end,
I wonder too, what might have been if in this when and where,
I found within myself the strength to let myself be there.
Author notes
This is a story about someone who once claimed to be raped, and later recanted the story. I think that the story is in essence true, that something did happen, just maybe not the way the story was concieved.
As such this poem has a double meaning in the sense that it can be interpreted as being about the detachment that often occuurs during traumatic events such as rape, or it is about the fact that the victim was 'absent' because these events never happened. You be the judge...
Written July 17th, 2005
A contest entry
- Based on a true story by MentalMeltdown.
300 points, ended July 25, 2005, 5 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
-
Wow, after reading your poem "a conversation between love and death" I thought I would come and have a look at your other work - and oh my gosh, im soo glad I did. Upon arriving at your author page I thought wow, she has alot of trophies... and now I understand why!!
This is an amazing piece it is very deep and from reading it its obvious you put alot of thought into it and it paid off! It flows well and the rhyming good and I enjoyed reading every single word of it! It is also a very intresting idea, while I was reading it I presumed it was about the detachment of someone who had actually been raped but then I read your author comment so went back and read the poem a second time, and now I don't know what I think!
Well done, AMAZING work, you write poems of the quality I can only hope to aspire to one day!! JESSxx -
Very, VERY interesting piece. I like how you left the reader up to their own speculation in the end. Honestly at first I thought it was going to be a piece about a medieval battle, and the results of the fight. Then I got to the 3rd stanza and realized that it was something else.
I found it very interesting to read about something that in the past I have questioned myself. When someone is in dire need of attention, sometimes... Just sometimes, that person will take extreme measures in order to get it.
Now to truely be raped, in my opinion, that would be something that would put heavy abuse upon the mind. More abuse than some people actually have when claiming to have it done to them. Which makes you wonder if they really experienced it all or are they just sprucing up the story for a little more sympathy.
Great write. Story from start to finish. I enjoyed the consistency and flow. Good luck in the contest.
Adding your comment:
2 old applause
