This side up.

I stand alone at the sink
The sound of running water washes away the taste of words left on my fingertips
I hear the murmur of their voices in the other room and I hope to shut them out by washing the dishes
One
By one
By one
Until their plates are clean of their filth left from a "hard" days work
Standing alone at the sink
I scrub away hard surfaces with the soft
It tells me it won't come up won't go away won't leave me be until I have sacrificed
Sacrificed my hands, my feet, my ears, my eyes
Listen to how they trap you, they say
Listen to how they trap you in a box printed with the words This side up but is always turned This side down
Listen to how they mime you inside by taking away your thoughts and words with their eyes and their superiority
They are bigger than you, they say
They are stuffed like a teddy bear with pride and ego and nothing left to share, except nobody will be left to cuddle them
They think they are swimming but really they are drowning in their own fear that drips off of them drip by drip
They think they are like rain, they will say
They think that they wash away the dirt and the muck when really they just wash it to the bottom where it will continue to grow until they will be covered in their mistakes
And they will blame you, they say
They will blame you for what they have done because their ego's and pride cannot save them this time
Or any other time
They will put you into cause and effect and turn you into them when all your life you've tried hard not to be them
You will starve, they say
You will starve of affection and of beauty
Each word that is spat from their mouth each word that is dribbled into your head each lie that is stuffed into your insides stuffed and compacted into a tiny corner where nothing can reach it
They will make you hate yourself, they say
They will twist you up until you stare into the mirror and see the reflection of someone who isn't a reflection but is merrily a shadow
And you will believe anything they tell you to because you are not a reflection, you are a shadow
Just a shadow
And you will see just how dark it is being turned upside down
Mimed into the dark shadows of a box turned This side down instead of This side up
I hear my name
Sh, they say
Sh.

Reviews

[Pookie]

Freaking AWESOME! And I agree with Tony. "They" won't. Keep up the good writing.

[Tony]

Yup, this is a damn good poem.
And I don't believe 'they' will ever forgive you.
Rock on.

[Alice Oiseau]

You simply take my breath away.
Every time I come and read your work, it's better every time. You're growing so much as an individual and writer, delving into your style. I would call this one of your masterpieces.
I LOVE this line, "They are stuffed like a teddy bear with pride and ego and nothing left to share, except nobody will be left to cuddle them" because of the sharp contrast. You present a friendly, warm image (teddy bear) and tie it to something cold and bitter.
There is a quote that I think suits this poem well. It's by Rousseau, "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains."
Stunning write, my friend :)