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The Ripping

You ripped me One word at a time Shredded my smile Pulled at my sensitivity I was never strong enough To pull back my paper heart You took the pieces of me Arranged them in your perfect order I prayed for the wind to come Hoping I would be carried away Flutter to a new more loving home Instead, I endured your paper cuts I became your paper mâché Shaped into the image of you Glued with your inconsistancies Coated in your endless smoke Sarcasm and beer I marinated in your endless tears You painted me with a retarded label Your stupid failure of a son Forced to endure that brush It was with your eyes I learned to see Everyone else was better than me I was a failure times three My inside empty I became light as air As time went on I ceased to care It happend slowly you weren't aware Until one day I floated past your stare No longer raw and bare I clawed and ripped Rewrote my page My renaissance coming of age Not your puppet on a stage Contorted by your rage I have lost you to your death The air much clearer, still I feel your breath Within my doubts your lies still hide Yet within me a new strength resides Your image of me no longer applies Doubt and fear reduced in size No longer your "DUMMY" On faith I rise For Charlotte's contest, heart and soul confessional. Written, September 1st 2014.

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Daisy Tyrrell

Date: 11/4/2017 4:28:00 AM

i really enjoyed the way you wrote this, and the way you compare

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/4/2017 7:35:00 AM

Thanks Daisy, I appreciate the visit.

Desiray Wells

Date: 9/23/2014 9:56:00 AM

wow that was by far the most amazing thing I have read !

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/23/2014 12:37:00 PM

Thanks Desiray. I really like your name, it's cool!

Nette Onclaud

Date: 9/9/2014 7:09:00 AM

this is compelling, Richard.. so well done!.. sweet congrats!

Shadow Hamilton

Date: 9/8/2014 5:33:00 PM

wow Rick such heartfelt words truly a work of art hugs soup mail

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/8/2014 6:07:00 PM

Thanks Shadow.

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser

Date: 9/8/2014 7:06:00 AM

Heartfelt indeed.. I'm glad I chose this among the winner's list... God bless you..:)

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/8/2014 8:48:00 AM

Thanks sweet Olive.

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser
Date: 9/8/2014 7:07:00 AM

Congratulations!!

Faye Gibson

Date: 9/7/2014 1:03:00 PM

I knew you would be here on the winner's list. Congratulations, Richard. So glad you with the help of our Savior rose above the abuse.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/8/2014 8:48:00 AM

I am glad as well, I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like had He not saved me.

Christine Costello

Date: 9/7/2014 10:54:00 AM

Richard- Im so happy for you-congratulations on your Win for your powerful poem. Christine :-)

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/8/2014 8:46:00 AM

Thanks Christine.

Dr. Upma A. Sharma

Date: 9/7/2014 2:21:00 AM

Powerful emotions portrayed so well Richard! Brilliant write indeed! Loved each line of last stanza the most! It got imprinted on my heart! Congrats on huge win on splendid write!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:39:00 AM

Without faith I would have perpetuated the cycle of pain. Praise be to my Heavenly Father.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 9/6/2014 10:29:00 PM

wowow,Richard.you are one of those guys who had to endure a torturous childhood and I am thankful you have come out of it the strong good man that you are. this is excellent, the way you used assonance and alliteration to make rhyming effect inside the free verse. A well constructed and meaningful sincere poem. Congrats for your win.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:36:00 AM

Thanks Andrea, some days I am a better man than others. Without knowing the kindness of God, there is no telling what direction I may have gone.

Jan Allison

Date: 9/6/2014 6:22:00 PM

The pain and troubles of your childhood has shaped you into the incredible man you are now Richard - an inspirational write and a great win :-) Hugs jan xx

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:34:00 AM

Thanks Jan, a big hug back to you.

Maurice Yvonne

Date: 9/6/2014 5:27:00 PM

an excellent write. You drew me in and kept me at your side the whole time. Congratulations on your well deserved win. God Bless.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:33:00 AM

Thanks for your blessing and kind words.

Charlotte Puddifoot

Date: 9/6/2014 4:23:00 PM

you've really written with heart and soul here, painful, but ending on a note of positivity; I like the paper analogy you've used, stanzas two and three are particularly strong, just as you are a strong person - congrats on your win in my contest

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:25:00 AM

I am honored both by you picking my poem and your kind words. Thanks Charlotte.

John Lawless

Date: 9/6/2014 3:50:00 PM

Amazingly painful write, Richard. I cringed at your description of the spiritual shredding of a young life. The tenacity of the human spirt continually amazes me. Thanks for sharing this.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/7/2014 8:30:00 AM

Thanks John, God gently took my hand and led me to my blessings.

Monterey Sirak

Date: 9/5/2014 8:16:00 AM

I think you just won the contest. Children are like paper mache, squares for origami and the adults in their lives fold them into little boxes they have to fight free of. Oh if every parent could just fold the paper into birds and send the children soaring to the stars.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/5/2014 8:50:00 AM

I like your oragami bird metophor. Thanks Monterey.

Race Benoit

Date: 9/4/2014 12:22:00 PM

WoW! You wrote my story. I lived with it for eighteen years and ran away from home when I graduated high school. Spent two lost decades trying to find myself beneath that which she had wrought. Thought I would expire on the streets before that would happen, but I managed to find enough of me that I set course toward me, sans her camouflage.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/5/2014 8:52:00 AM

I too left home early. I'm glad you found your way out. Thanks for reading this piece.

Michelle Bailey

Date: 9/4/2014 10:57:00 AM

Wonderful, I could feel your pain, where would we be without poetry

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/5/2014 8:53:00 AM

Thanks Michelle.

Yanny Widjanarko

Date: 9/4/2014 8:50:00 AM

Never disappointing... It's been a long time but still your masterpiece as inspirational as ever! :D it is dark but I found it deep, loved it Rick :) wishing you a great day there :D hugs, Yanny

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/4/2014 9:20:00 AM

My Sunny Friend, so glad to have you back visiting me. A big hug for you Yanny.

Debra Squyres

Date: 9/3/2014 11:26:00 PM

So deeply moving and still I see the strength rise .... renewing itself daily... in your words. No person should endure this, much less a child. Wonderful, heartfelt writing !!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/4/2014 8:03:00 AM

Thanks once again for your visit. I hold no animosity for how life started, my God used that time to shape my soul. He was taking something bad and trough it bestowing gifts upon me, compassion, resilience, decrement, determination, humility and many more. Without God's love I would not have survived and would have followed the same destructive path as my father.

Justin Bordner

Date: 9/3/2014 8:29:00 PM

To break the chains of ill tempered brains, a true moment of glory Richard. You found your soul when your heart went from paper to muscle. There are several outstanding and poignant metaphors in this powerful poem. I'm awed at how well your metaphors capture the ache of abuse. We never receive answers that are good enough to explain the abuse we endure from the ones who should love us most. A most bold revelation Richard. " On Faith I rise..." J.A.B.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/4/2014 8:12:00 AM

Hi Justin, see my comment to Elly above. Thanks for this moving response, I truly have risen on faith.

Justin Bordner
Date: 9/3/2014 8:31:00 PM

A FAV. J.A.B.

Regina Mcintosh

Date: 9/3/2014 3:36:00 PM

so sad that you had a relationship like this with your parents. Your poem is excellent.God bless you and happy writing. Love and prayers, GIna

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/3/2014 4:07:00 PM

I was fortunate to have a mom who loved us, unfortunately she was a victim as well. I deal with this topic in my book titled "DUMMY, Hurtful and Healing words". If you are interested soup mail me and I can provide more information. Thanks for the thoughful visit.

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 9/3/2014 11:08:00 AM

Dear Richard, How sad it is for a parent to treat their child this way. I read your poems and comments. I see your handsome face. How could a parent not be impressed by such a remarkable son? So very, very sorry if you truly endured this. Your poem surely tugged at my heart and soul, so you should do very well in the contest. Love, Carolyn

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/3/2014 4:11:00 PM

See Mama Bears comments below. I think it's safe to say she is proud of me. I am glad my poem struck a chord. no need to be sorry, life turned out exactly as it should. Many blessings came from those early years.

Harry Horsman

Date: 9/3/2014 10:33:00 AM

Oh so many lessons taught here, wonderful imagery,,,

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/3/2014 4:11:00 PM

Thanks Harry, lessons that have lasted a life time, no regrets.

Verlena S. Walker

Date: 9/2/2014 10:33:00 PM

When someone puts you down, it can make your vulnerability arise. However, esteem you may become from other success. That helps you to eliminate the negative stressors. Superlative write Richard. You should place in this contest with high marks. Verlena

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/2/2014 10:38:00 PM

Wether or not I do, this has been a valuable excercise.

David Mohn

Date: 9/2/2014 9:20:00 PM

Really powerful and moving Richard...your paper metaphor was brilliant and poignant

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/2/2014 9:31:00 PM

Thanks David, I am pleased it resonated with you.

Robert Lindley

Date: 9/2/2014 8:49:00 PM

Richard, at the time unknown to me my daughter endured that from her mother. Never dare would my ex-wife do that with me present. Only after our divorce and my daughter 17 did my sweet daughter tell what her mom had done for years! She was just that afraid. A truly great write my friend. I am adding it to my fav list!! You survived and now triumph because of your great character! giving this solid 7 my friend..

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 9/2/2014 9:30:00 PM

I give Glory to God for reparenting me. I am sorry your daughter went through this. Thanks for your kindness and visit Robert.