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Dinner For One
| Open Poetry #26 |
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Dinner For One |
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Zaynab Member
since 2003-05-04
Posts 59Kuwait |
Dinner For One You sit at the dinner table Dad's at the head Mum next to you Brothers across the way Not a word is spoken Silence Because a word leads to a sentence A sentence leads to a conversation A conversation leads to an argument An argument leads to More silence The vicious circle haunts you Staring straight into your brothers' eyes You see the same fear That you feel inside yourself You turn to look at your Mum But she continues eating Oblivious to her children And her husband It's easier to shut them out Than to be the buffer between them Like always It just leads to more trouble You resent her for this Yet understand how she feels You wish it were that easy for you Suddenly You hear a cough All heads snap up Face the head of the table Except Mum... You and your brothers only turn out of fear 'What should happen if you don't?' Is a question dreaded And ignored. For hearing the answer could be Would be Punishment enough He opens his mouth to speak All bodies stiffen Heart beats quicken Breaths shorten Guilt imprints itself across everyone's faces You all have secrets But you all get caught One after the other Who could it be this time? As he runs his eyes around the table Heads drop in shame In fear His eyes meet yours Only briefly But they pierce straight through Tears well up in your eyes You know it's your turn... You rack your brains to remember what you've done Your guilty conscious hammers into the back of your head But why? You've done nothing wrong But his look brings out fear and guilt in the Purest and holiest of men You look down and close your eyes And hope that it will all go away He is now convinced of your guilt There's no way out You've had it It's time Too late Time's gone You're lost In thought Confusion Guilt Hate Fear Kill me tonight and I will love again Leave me to live and I live in pain Leave me no love and I live in vain Kill me tonight and kill the pain [This message has been edited by Zaynab (05-04-2003 02:34 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2003 Zaynab Al Nasser - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Startime55 Member Elite
since 2003-04-05
Posts 2148Alberta, Canada |
Ouch!!!You write of times I remember too well though they be in the very distant past they are still felt in my heart and soul today....My heart goes out to any who experience this type of fear for I too know of its power... |
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CountryGal Junior Member
since 2003-03-09
Posts 24Missouri, USA |
This is so sad but good. I know of a feeling like this. Not everyone in my family though just me. It makes me rethink of that time. Good visual by the way. |
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WhiteRose Member Elite
since 2002-07-23
Posts 3208somebody's dungeon |
Zaynab, How well I know of this. In a family with 5 children, me the only girl, I can't remember a dinner that didn't end up in some sort of turmoil. This is a great write, that I can really relate to.  |
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Zaynab Member
since 2003-05-04
Posts 59Kuwait |
Startime, thankyou for reading and responding. It does seem to be a subject matter which many can relate to - quite unfortunately though as its not the nicest experience in the world! *hugs* CountryGal, thankyou as always for taking the time to respond to my poetry, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I'm sorry you have to go through the same thing sometimes. *hugs* WhiteRose, thankyou for reading and enjoying it. I understand what you mean about being the only girl. I have two brothers who are both younger than me so, not only do I have to deal with being the only girl, I'm also the oldest and am very often left to look after them, baby sit, help with homework and break up fights etc. I just hope that one day I'll be able to look back on my teenage years and remember it for the good times, not the hair pulling and black eyes! Kill me tonight and I will love again |
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ljossberir Member
since 2003-05-04
Posts 81Ny, USA |
wow, I liked this one alot! I don't know about the rest of you, but I felt a lot of suspense in waiting to see what would happen. It's much harder to do such a thing in text than it is to do it on for example, tv or movies. Good work! "Not a word is spoken Silence Because a word leads to a sentence A sentence leads to a conversation A conversation leads to an argument An argument leads to More silence" This was my favorite part, the idea that with (some people, at least) it only takes a word or less to lead to an argument. Stunning. |
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littlewing Member Rara Avis
since 2003-03-02
Posts 9655New York |
Zaynab: ohhh mann - you had me sweating bullets here . . . Welcome to PIP! Amazing writing xxoo |
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Richy Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 3050 |
Zaynab buddie, what a powerful and well written piece! Thoroughly enjoyed it... I could just picture it in a movie... the fear and the shame... Man... very nice... I hope dinner time's have gotten more enjoyable my friend?? Take Great Care OK? Richy |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
ah, what memories you've brought back with this piece...wow! |
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Zaynab Member
since 2003-05-04
Posts 59Kuwait |
ljossberir, thankyou for your wonderful comments, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I agree, suspense is quite hard to achieve, I'm so happy I managed to get it across in this piece. Thank you xxxx littlewing, thakyou for the lovely welcome., I'm glad you enjoyed it xxxx Richy, Wow thankyou, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. hmmm thats an idea - a movie! maybe when I'm a bit older... a lot older in fact lol! I can hardly start at 15 now can i? lol I wish I could say dinners are getting better but as the only girl in the family, eldest of three, its tough having my brothers blmaing everything on me and my parents expecting me to be perfect. plus, due to the age thingy, I've starfted asking question that they can't answer or, if they do answer, i retaliate! hence more arguements... xxxx Passing Shadows, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you're enjoying happier dinners now! xxxx Take care all, and thank you for taking the time to read and respond. Zaynab xxxxxxxx Kill me tonight and I will love again |
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regards2you Member Elite
since 2002-10-01
Posts 3940California |
So very well written. You captured the moment and feelings, perfectly. Put me right at that table. 'There's no way out You've had it It's time Too late Time's gone You're lost In thought Confusion Guilt Hate Fear' Realistic ending here. 15 years old? Much talent! Look forward to reading more of your work. Hugs, Pat  |
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Zaynab Member
since 2003-05-04
Posts 59Kuwait |
Thankyou so much for reading and responding. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Wow talent! thanks for the compliment, definitely cheered me right up! Take care Zaynab xxxxxxxx Kill me tonight and I will love again |
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