you are:
the fingers that push back my hair
heroin and needles
gasp
burning cigarettes
the tuning of guitars
that scar on my arm
i am:
older than i was
passive in a bad way
oh, babe
flannel sheets in May
coffee with soy
that river bed
we were:
tattoos and freckles
frowned upon
good for each other
stop
too different
wildflowers
no
spring fever
too emotional for me
i think it’s best if you
just
leave.
-
K. Weyerbacher, 2013
One in four women in the United States have been
victims of domestic violence. Every two minutes, someone is sexually assaulted.
We are assaulted not only in this physical way, but also by the media. Pictures
of women whose beauty and pant size is unattainable greet us from magazines,
televisions, advertisements and our laptops. We strive to morph into someone
else’s beauty. We contort ourselves to become someone we’re not, harming our
self-confidence and our true inner worth.
We
may lack self-confidence. We may carry scars from an ex-boyfriend or
girlfriend. We may be healing from a traumatic childhood. We may hate our love
handles, our eyebrows, our hair, our shoe size, our cup size, our broad
shoulders or narrow hips; we may loathe our thin lips or large nose. We may be
struggling to ask for help. We may be scared to tell someone the truth. We may
be ashamed of what happened to us or trying with all our might to forgive the
people who did it to us. I don’t know a person, male or female, who hasn’t been
affected in some way by these issues. We may be victims, but that doesn’t mean
we aren’t strong. Regardless of what factors may paint our picture a little
dark at some points in our life, they do not make up the entire portrait. They
are simply strokes on the canvas, a shadow that defines a strong jaw and
fierceness in the eye.
Intelligence,
courage and kindness shine through your physical features. Self-confidence and
perseverance appear as a gleam in the eye. Trustworthiness and aptitude appear
along the jaw line. Compassion appears at the corners of the lips. These many
pigments and oils, a masterpiece of mediums, paint us. If only each of us could
see how the events in our lives make our picture even richer.
Websites:
Your piece is incredibly powerful, and I like the slideshow, or mini-movie, either way it is very impressive.
ReplyDeleteThe paint on the bodies, and around throats and other areas leading to abuse defines this piece. It is easy to see what was at first unclear. the poem you have also adds to the piece tremendously.
Unfortunately, the need to fulfill 500 words is almost a downfall in this case. The power behind the images and the slideshow/movie coupled with the poem you have is enough for me.
Although there are some strong phrases and sentences in the writing piece, it feels out of place to me, as if explaining that which did not need to be explained.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, and it left me with a strong emotional pull.
Thanks
I liked the entire piece. The three phases seem to depict past (the photos), present (your poem) and future (an essay that talks of the struggle and hope for the beauty that shines through). I'm not sure all 500 words are necessary, however I think you did a good job of it.
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