Freedom

That sad lament flickering through her day
Buried deep, but not deep enough
Folded flag, a reminder of the love never returned
Death the escape, but still the prisoner
Married to the ego
Maybe both
The beauty queen, ugly inside
She heard the words. One ego, that’s a bang. Two ego’s, that’s an explosion.
He would wait for her, he liked her ugly side
How did he know the ending
She didn’t know, and she was living it
The flag, the medals, the shiny crown
He threw his medals into the river, went back to his old life
She didn’t understand how he could do that
He was part of it
They were all part of it
She was kidding herself
Like the crown that defined her
Living on memories
Waiting out time
She wanted life
The war hero’s widow
They would put that on her gravestone
She began to understand him now
He was free
He’d won his war
Now he was waiting for her to win hers
Her own freedom
The sun was shining the day she handed the flag and medals to his mum
The walk over the bridge would finally set her free
The crown didn’t make much of a splash
No bang, no explosion
Just so much more
He liked her ugly side
She liked that just fine.

Reviews

[apennylate]

*Welcome to "Pure Rhymes" Thanks for joining, great to have you...!*

Damn... His medals in the river... A war won not within the parameters of socially accepted humanity... I had some ego while reading, but two... Now that is just an explosion... What defies what is... What life is... What... Eh... I liked this just fine

[Neville]

An emotionally charged and otherwise powerful write indeed and an extremely compelling read to be sure. No punches pulled here, ragged and real, the way they ought to be told.....Neville

[Paul Bell]

You are right. It's the way its got to be.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

our ego makes us protect ourselves, after we have been in the love wars...and can we get our freedom from reserve---He is ready for her, he understands the ugly side---she needs to understand herself and let go of the past...she isn't ugly anymore...and he takes her even with her past.
j.

[Paul Bell]

Yes, sometimes even the dead can keep them trapped.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

So much that seems so important is illusory. It’s a delusion, a mirage of the mind in the moment, which keeps us living a reality that isn’t real. The poignancy and desolation rains down the words of this poem until the splash ending. We cling to the vines on the wall of our own making; and in the end, we find ourselves alone.

[Paul Bell]

So true. We trap ourselves in guilt.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Powerful. Subtle, melancholy, tragic poem filled with pathos. The understatement here has such strong emotional impact. He led, she followed him to their final destination. He waited for her. Eloquence, great noir style. War can kill but it can’t destroy love...”The crown didn’t make much of a splash,”- pow! Brilliant.

[Paul Bell]

Yes, sometimes it's just that final push before they realise there is another life waiting.

[AYVID N]

I liked it too. So much. Always is amazing when love persists beyond the world, inspite of ugliness and imperfection.

The crown didn’t make much of a splash
No bang, no explosion

Great lines!

[Paul Bell]

What would we do without a little love.