Sculptor

We design our own constructs of life.

I carved my demons

from the solid stone

of the cliffs

that soared,

monolithic,

unconquerable,

from the bedrock

of my anxiety.

 

I carved them

from hardwood

trees

that littered the

forests of my guilt

and stopped me seeing

the truth.

 

I carved demons

from the mist

that rose

each and every

morning

from the

vast,

sweeping,

empty moors

inside my head.

 

I even carved them

from the shadows

of night

that rose above me

in cloaks of

foreboding

as I lay,

still

in my bed

afraid

to breathe.

 

18/07/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[Fairy Khan]

I feel like it should be “stopped me ‘from’ seeing the truth” in the second stanza.
I love the allegory here. It is dark, but fairly interesting. We are the sculptors of our fate for sure. Nice one.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes I think that works as well. Many thanks FKK.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

a really sound allegory of facing our demons even as much as we fear them...
You are so good at mixing nature and real life...
j.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Such lovely priase from you Jacob is indeed quite humbling as my command of English could never be a match for your 'pitch' perfect use of language and construction of verse. Many thank yous!

[Edie Blue Starfish]

we are the architects of our own lives. building around our environment. I like how you wrote of anxiety and the lack of control over the architecture

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Edie, not seen you in a while?

[Edie Blue Starfish]

summer holidays :)
plus, I think the site was down for several days?
I was trying to get on but could not.
maybe it was not supporting mobile?
i'm back at my desktop today and seems to be ok

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes it has been down sporadically this past week. Hope you enjoyed your holiday.

[Paul Bell]

Humans must have millions of boxes stored up just waiting to open at usually the wrong time.
From childhood to adulthood, the wall could reach the moon.
But we are a complex species, which is quite amazing since most of our brain isn't used.
I can only assume that in our dark and distant past we were always alert to danger.
Maybe that's why we all have demons in us.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed we have an inate mechanism to respond to danger. i am guessing as we evolve we will use more and more of that brain? Many thanks Paul.

[Chris Shaw]

Great metaphor here John. I like the way you have nature and the natural world weaving through your lines. We do indeed build our own demons, often with the help of others. Last stanza reminded me of being a child and being too frightened to sleep. Fine writing.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Chris. I did have in mind those nights as a child laying looking into the shadows when I 'penned' the last stanza. I also think we build those demons from childhhood and simply carve them more ably in youth and adulthood.