Tick Tock Goes the Watch

Poised in the center of the dimly-lit, desolate room -
I notice the tiny gold wrist watch embedded in diamonds,
winking fiercely at the streaming sunlight.
Despite emptiness filing my heart, curiosity invades me rudely,
and drags me to the shiny object that lies on the carpet, woven floor.

A wave of sickening nostalgia hits me like a hurricane's treacherous wind
as I pick up the watch.
I slowly raise my throbbing head, and my eyes meet the callous youth
positioned before me, like a Nazi centered at his post on a freezing night.
His vicious eyes gaze through me.
His blackened heart beats with mine --
This snake dressed in innocence knocks me to the cold, dirty ground.
This boy from school has transformed into a savage animal. Only the
unthinkable dominates his mind, and I must comply.
But I don't conform, and he renders me helpless.
My beautiful gold watch lays limp in the cold, soft ground, while he
muffles my cries with his
crushing weight.
The clock has stopped ticking and I whimper silently inside as time grows slower
...and slower...

"Tick-toc..." the watch whispers softly in my ear. I look up, finding myself embraced
by the sunlight, not smeared with dirt in a forest.
The vacancy in my soul vanishes, and is replaced with relief
as my watch ticks, assuring me that my spirit is immutable.
 I slip on the eternal token, for it is a reminder that I'm a survivor.

Author's Note

Tell me what you think of this poem.

Reviews

[B-poet]

Very gripping and inspirational. Love the way you've written the story as well. You've laid it out to where the ending is as satisfying as the very beginning. Great writing Johanna. :)

[Annabelle Lee]

Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time, this was well done!

[Joanna Johnson]

Thank you...I received an honorable mention for this one in a poetry contest in 1999.

[Annabelle Lee]

I can see why. "A wave of sick nostalgia"

Beautiful

[Joanna Johnson]

Thank you...this was a poem about rape. Something that happens to one in every four women.

[Horizon K.]

Wow Joanna, I'm not sure I want to know what this poem is about, there is so much violence in that reawakened memory caused by a beautiful watch falling to the ground. This evil man and what he did, violating the body & soul....It gave me the chills to read this, I don't want to imagine....

[Joanna Johnson]

Thanks for the review! Yes, it is violent -- honestly the poem was about rape, but the idea is that this person is a survivor, still thriving.