Notes About The Poem
Written on April 23rd, 2025 for Robert Liguori's contest Tears of A Clown.

Painted Doll

Earthquakes of bedlam quell
As tectonic plates of emotional instability cease shifting.  
The tears of a discarded clown, suspended in animation—  
Numbness overtakes.  

Masks slip, shattering.  
Shards scrape, lacerating apathetic flesh,  
Revealing the painted doll underneath.  

Remove its colourful costume;  
Discover marionette strings embedded within a fraying back.  
Strip the howling voices from its waking nightmares.  
Feel deadening voids devour any morsel left of a wounded heart,  
Whilst balmy plasma metamorphoses into gelid hemoglobin,  
Hardening undying devotion into frigid detest.  

Titanium walls, reinforced with razor wire, barricade a hollow soul.  
For she was mere amusement for the indoctrinated masses—  
An illusion of happiness, playing day in and day out.  

Listen, as her inviting laugh transmutes into the cackle of hyenas.  
Watch the paint, plastered upon an unwilling face, crack one last time.  
Her eleventh hour has arrived.  
Bear witness to the merciless statuette you birthed.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

Poem

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mysore Avatar
May 7, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Congratulations on your win dear poet. Cheers!!!
Jama Avatar
May 8, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Thank you so much.
Liguori Avatar
May 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Your poetry always leaves my spine covered in ice. The darkness prevails. Incredible write! Congrats on your placement.
Jama Avatar
May 8, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Thank you for placing me in your contest.
Daniel Avatar
April 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Dark and deep...
Jama Avatar
April 24, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Thank you very much.
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