Beneath the Veneer

~his strength~

          Paul is a recent lone survivor
                   of a plane crash. 
             A few of those perished, 
        his close friends. He's attended 
   a cavalcade of funerals in just a month.
             Outwardly, he seems fine;
         He handles the persistent pain
         and burns throughout his body
                better than expected.
              He tries the best he can 
             to adjust to a new normal.
        He puts on a brave face publicly 
          as he keeps up appearances 
          here and there. Superficially, 
     the face of strength and resilience.

                  ~his fragility~

         Yet in the loneliness of night
      he's haunted by the last screams 
           of his perished passengers.
        He wakes in the dead of night 
      screaming himself. He's wrestling 
      with gnawing demons; beset with
       insomnia and a crippling anxiety 
         as survivor's guilt takes hold.
           He hides behind his smiles 
            and sense of humor, but 
          in actuality, he's struggling 
          to cope with the aftermath
              mentally, emotionally
      and psychologically. He regrets 
  that he survived; a walking casualty.


Juxtaposition Poetry Contest (Winner: 2nd Place)
Sponsored by Silent One
Date written: 11/23/2020

anxietydarkfuneralhorrorpainnarrative

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