When I’m really frustrated or in a deep internal battle over the rape’s effects on my life and the lives of those I love poetry is what I often turn to. I find that if I speak in plan prose I’m perceived as a threat or I anger people. But there are those times I think I’ve got to speak up or I’ll never be heard because people, especially men, don’t like or respond to poetry. So sometimes I make the mistake of vocalizing myself. Expressing my needs as an ASA man as I did in a different forum only to have it be shut down. It is dismissive moments like that, that turn me back to my poetry.

Shaded

Hope is like an evening’s inspiring sunset
Flashing promising lights in dazzling display
Rays’ visual songs, sung in dreamy colors
Until descending,
Coercing hues to fade away

It’s in this place between the shadows where
Movements intermingling with fear’s aberrations
Blur clarity within shaded outlines.
I’m devoured
By the colorlessness of dimming aspirations

I am saddened to hear that you experienced being shut down. I hope you can shrug off this experience and continue to move on.

Your poem is wonderful.

Peace,
Avery

SO wrong on their part!! I'm sorry you had to experience that. Keep going forward, though, people that shut others down like this probably don't really understand what's going on to begin with and likely wouldn't have been healthy for the healing process anyway. That's just how I view it myself, I could be wrong, but it's how I see it.



I can identify so much with this. Thank you for posting it, actually.

I know what you mean about guys not wanting to respond to poetry, but guess what? It speaks louder than prose or regular conversation sometimes - it's a powerful tool when used in the right hands.