Debbie Walker Poet Free verse

Expressing Invisible Scars

My mother burned us all…smoke
rose from the ashes that clinged 
to our beds, to the tables and chairs.
No one knew of screams that
echoed through the night, of the 
sleepless nights from lying in 
wait for what may come.
Nothing stoked the flames 
we burned like unsmoked cigarettes
slowly our flames died out.
My father sat in silence 
Ignoring blood soaked pillows, 
ignoring us, and how we were 
expressing invisible scars through 
silence and self harm ignoring his 
own house engulfed in flames.

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Maya Evans May 30, 2023 at 9:46 AM Through your words, you give voice to the profound emotions and invisible scars that often go unnoticed. This poem serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of art as a means of healing and self-expression. Thank you for sharing this heartfelt piece of poetry.

Elizabeth Mccann April 7, 2023 at 11:09 PM Debbie, I haven't read anything of yours before, but this is quite skilfully done and very touching. We hear of stranger-danger; sometimes it's much closer to home. Elizabeth