Self-Delusion

Self-Delusion

His words, a wrecker's ball, swung through her dreams.

The ball was real enough - its crushing weight

Enough to dislodge walls, snap all the beams;

To batter, bludgeon, smash, obliterate

The fragile splendour of the edifice

Created in her folly. But in vain:

His words would miss, as with a rhythmic hiss

The ball swung clean through dreams and back again.

Comments: 9

Andrea Grenadier Apr 25, 2009, 9:15am EDT

Brilliant, Mike, and with a breath-taking twist at the end, which I found most gratifying. For whose folly were the dreams created in? I'm going to remember this powerful image; a talisman for healing.

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Granny Janny H. Apr 25, 2009, 10:57am EDT

Swinging dream of devastation
Rhyming read her imagination
Stronger than word
His frustration sounded loud and clear
But never heard
Great work, my dear

Featured on Poet's Weekly Muse!

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Carole S. Apr 25, 2009, 11:32am EDT

This poem is very well done. I love the analogy. And...hope in the end.

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Angela A. Apr 25, 2009, 6:53pm EDT

We all can be deluded every once in a while.
Lovely poem!
Thanks for posting to my group, Anythingwriting

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Cheryl W. Apr 26, 2009, 1:02am EDT

I really like this, Mike. The image of the wrecking ball is vivid and makes this poem come alive..

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Atticus *. Apr 27, 2009, 2:42pm EDT

Great poem mike. We think we have so much power sometimes but we find when we strike out we are only harming ourselves. Nice work.

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Mike Ellwood Apr 27, 2009, 3:21pm EDT

Thanks all for the kind and encouraging comments.
Atticus, I hadn't thought of it like that, to be honest, but on reading it again I see exactly what you mean. An excellent observation indeed.

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Granny Janny H. Apr 28, 2009, 12:06pm EDT

I agree. We are happier if we don't take things personally.

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Purrrrrrrrrrr~Genki dashite~Nantoka naru-yo! S. Apr 28, 2009, 12:14pm EDT

An excellent poetic lesson for those of us who hang on to all the wrongs embedded in our past~movement backward is easy~movement forward is not, not always so simple~

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Comments: 9

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