Glass Houses

Palms pressed against the transparent panes

Her transparent pains

Built within these high walls of human concrete

Shut away from the world

Defenses at their peak

Because hooded eyes, a shrouded soul

And a throbbing heart

Cannot speak

 

“Cinderella in her exalted tower”

Was the sardonic whisper behind her

As she sashayed by

With airs, with graces.

“Ice princess”, “Snow queen”

Endless names and stereotyping

From ignorant lips that reeked of blame

 

An ethereal cage had long formed around

That brittle thumping core of her

Behind the tangible frame

Inside her chest.

“When we live in glass houses,

We won’t throw stones”

That was the motto

 

Legs crossed

Bloodied lips slick with gloss

Defiant chin

French-curved lashes fluttering

Smokey eyes brimming with the concealment

Of fears and passions; battle in a torrent.

The windows to her soul,

Hinged, welded with solid gold

The purest- that drew them in

Like misguided, thirsty vermin

And each time, she threw them off

 

She was her own soldier

A soldier with a fragile heart

Is it criminal to protect one’s own,

And let one’s happiness take a bullet

For one’s sanity and inner peace?

Perhaps, in Utopia,

A brave but feeble heart

Could thrive on peace.

Here, a buoyant heart

Would shun the refuge of tranquility

For one precarious adventure

That would be worth it

 

But then again,

When we live in glass houses,

We won’t throw stones.

 

 

Reviews

[Glen Yumang Manese]

The beginning sets this into play... and the usage of the motto:

“When we live in glass houses,
We won’t throw stones”

does well within the lines... as you convey to the reader the actions felts in the verse... and the last stanza reality take off in the write... blends everything together...

[Scarlett Garnett]

You took note of all that... Thank you. This was a bit of a mish-mash piece for me. Initially, I was dubious of the outcome. I'm glad it all blended together in the end. Thanks again for reviewing.

[Samuel Jack]

Very powerful, it feels very much like an internal struggle to me. A lot of social and personal anxieties bubbling up, and then in the fifth stanza......Defiance!

But then with the last stanza you remind us why no one will stand up and say something against the wrongs they see.

My favourite stanzas were the first and fifth, you could make a shorter poem just out of those stanzas in my opinion.

Great work, well written and well read.

[Ruthie Igunbor]

someone is evolving. i like the rustling emotions that i head as i read through it.
well done :)

[Scarlett Garnett]

i hope it's a good evolution though. Thanks, Ruthie.