Broken Beauty

when i looked at her closely

with each step, i feel breaking

and hear cracking underneath my feet

i look down and follow the broken pieces...

the trail is long

each piece flickers with it's own radiance,

but none appear to be whole

suddenly, a subtle warmth touches my face...

i must be near the source

the pieces now spread in all directions

though mere fragments of something

that was once complete,

they all glow brilliantly---

my eyes were dancing amidst

this shimmering sea, and then...

i saw her---

huddled in a corner

barely covered in a cloth that looked aged and soiled,

she seemed injured and yet...

still inviting

i noticed her straightening herself up

as my eyes examined her---

drawn in by her shine,

i quickly found myself sitting beside her---

what a perspective...

from this close

i could see all the pieces i came across before,

belong to her

i now was staring at the holes in her figure---

assuming i was readying a swift judgement,

she hastily began to gather

pieces of herself as an offering...

i softly placed my hands on hers

to cease this collection---

as i looked at her hands intertwined in my own

i noticed something under the shards

pierced with curiosity,

i swept them aside to reveal what was underneath---

footprints... i discovered footprints

i then looked harder, focusing my vision

i saw that the footprints also spread

in all directions from where she sat---

all were of various size,

crashing into or overlapping the next

the broken pieces of her

giftedly hid them---

my eyes made their way back to her,

then back to the footprints

once again back to her

and yet again...

back to the footprints---

confused and curious

i looked to her for answers,

her lips said nothing

but her eyes spoke all that needed to be said...

and like the sudden crack of thunder

it all came to me...

the broken pieces

the holes in her figure

the countless footprints

the look of tremendous suffering

that was held in her eyes---

i was baring witness

to the victim that beauty is

in the hands of man...

such foolish criminals we men are

thoughtlessly driven by lust,

we take from beauty only what we desire

so we fail to see

the magnificence of beauty's design---

instead we dissect and divide,

ripping beauty to shreads

each taking what his eyes found most entertaining

until we have had our fill

then we cast it aside and leave beauty...

to deal with the mess---

such foolish criminals we men are

now my heart aches for beauty

i crave to see her in true form,

like no man has yet to

and so, i will collect her up...

piece by piece

 

 

Author's Note

Thank you for reading. I would like to thank the woman who taught me that, no matter how taken with someone we may be, looking beyond our own wants will reveal them in away we never dreamed. Your insights are welcomed.

Reviews

[redflutterby]

Poetic truth filled with insightful thought. I've often wondered if men understand what the misuse of a woman for purely physical means truly does to her. Society places beauty and sexuality above all else rarely championing respect for boundaries and honorable behaviour. Fantastic write! :-)

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you, your thoughts are humbling and appreciated. I agree with your views on social construts of beauty/sexuality, hopfully there will come a day where these twisted ideals of our society come to a halt.

[Alone In A Crowd]

This poem is remarkable, beautifully written. With all the way imagery flowing throughout this piece a vivid scene entwined my imagination with the words on the screen. Well done, keep it up.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for reading/reviewing this piece. I appreciate you relaying such wonderful thoughts and i will do my best to attempt to write at the bar this piece has set. I truly appreciate those humbling words.

[Alone In A Crowd]

You're welcome.

[She With Eyes Like Unsh..]

Beautiful poem, and so very true for so many women today.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

It absolutely is, thank you for your lovely review.

[Cassie]

i have enjoyed reading this piece all the way, I never noticed i neared the end of it. This is a very beautiful poem. I loved it, now shelved in my library

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you... Its a great honor to be shelved in one's library, i appreciate you reading/reviewing this piece. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.

[Hviske]

This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. Insightful and honest yet beautiful. I absolutely loved it. I could just imagine the scence coming to life before my eyes. Wonderful !

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you, Xzenia for reading and reviewing this piece. I am completely humbled by your thoughts.

[Sami Khalil]

A splendid read and write. Thank you for sharing this gem...:)

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for stopping by to read to read it, good friend. Your visit is always appreciated.

[Sami Khalil]

My pleasure ...Any time...:)

[Angi]

Amazing, thoughtful, beautiful! This piece touched me, Travis. Angi~

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for such a lovely review... I'm pleased it was able reach you in such a way.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A very torrid and meaningful array of colour and timing, well done, good read.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you, Thomas your visit and review is much appreciated.

[Nick McIntosh]

I would ordinarily knock a couple rating points for capitalization off but this is a poem that touched me in a unique way. It speaks of the tragedy of selfishness within a relationship and the damage that is done to beauty, and how even in terrible pain and though beauty can be damaged, it is something that is still beautiful. This is something I've had to confront in my own life in a major way lately.

It's tough to look beyond selfish desire to the consequences acting upon selfishness brings on those who are exploited. It can be even more agonizing to find an unselfish love within, and then offer it to someone torn to pieces and pulled every which direction by those who were there before.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for reading and taking time to review this piece. I usually don't utilize capitalization in my pieces, being the lack of proper, traditional sentences. I do thank you for overlooking that aspect in order to appreciate the meaning of the material. You're insights are very much my own experience, finding a "broken beauty" and dealing with the various issues it presents is tough indeed.

[TL Boehm]

STELLAR! such a deep, almost surreal write. Gathering up beauty piece by piece and how even broken and scattered - it is still luminescent.
A gripping write.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for such a terrific review... I'm glad to know the meaning of the piece was delivered so clearly.