As sea falls back into sea
Prepares for a new assault on the shore
Its hardened rock
Broken but not brittle
Recalcitrant
Beneath the bruised sky
Of abuses relentless
I am reminded
Of the survivors
I came for the storms
For the thrash and hiss
Of the sea upon the rock
The immovable
Resisting the unstoppable
And it is
In a manner
Difficult to describe
So utterly beautiful
And moving
But I wish
In this moment
Only for the peace
Of a clear sky
And an ocean
Becalmed
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your father’s deeds
And why you’d need to set me free
I would not listen, I did not know how
Perhaps I’ll listen now
And I in the storm
Enthralled by the beauty of
Violent nature
Moved to pondering
The nature of violence
Buffeting within
And I
Upon the shore
Felt the searing gaze of shame
Breathe
I whispered to my heart
As I breathed the cool sea air
That eye is but your own
Turned upon you
By the shameful one
Now as an adult
I am dominated by the fear
I learned as a child
Ambivalence
Trepidation
Uncertainty
Too much?
Too dark?
Too bleak?
For a bistro?
Until a voice says
“That is me, up there
On your wall.”
I observe the violence
The hurt
The suffering
Detached
Feeling nothing
To feel would be
To shatter
So strong because
So fragile
Reach for the sky
Stand proud
And straight
Find new intent
If naught for aught
But to be seen
Standing here
Survivor still
Where some may fail
Yet I remain
She retreated because she had come
To feel the tumult of the ocean
To feel the battering of the wind
To feel the beauty of violence
Without consciousness
This is why she came here
And for a while
It was beautiful
And calming
Pix to Words 