Ballade for Denial

Ballade

Should you attempt to ease my pain,
take warning, mine's a toxic brew,
with any spillage sure to stain
and burn its noxious way down through
those armored plates protecting you,
concealing that soft heart beneath,
a treat this beast will slowly chew...
the hopes left stuck between sharp teeth.

My dark mind's torn and hardly sane,
left barren since her love withdrew,
and charities would but profane
those memories I hold askew,
those cloudy thoughts of love so true,
those daggers hid in yearning's sheath
that slice when others misconstrue...
the hopes left stuck between sharp teeth.

Go hang from your damned sugarchain
of coaxes meant to help renew.
There are no passions to regain.
There's nothing left here to imbue.
My shattered rose rejects your glue.
It's not a blossom for your wreath.
So, toss your thoughts of breaking through...
the hope's left stuck between sharp teeth.

And, if a doubt remains as to
the character that's underneath,
then tease my shell and watch me spew
the hopes left stuck between sharp teeth.

Author's Note

I let the idea of writing a ballade tumble around in my head for about a week, then wrote it all in one late night go. Why did a monster pop out?
Please let me know what you think.

Check out this link for an explanation of the ballade form and a lovely poem.
http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/RichardJ/1619403/

Reviews

[Laz K.]

A very masterfully written poem! I'm afraid I'm repeating myself in every review I leave in response to your poems, but it's your fault (haha). Seriously, you're a wizard with words. The pain and frustration are oozing from the lines - that's a compliment, considering the topic and the contents.

[mattavelli]

Hi, Laz, thanks for reading! :)
This one was a lot of fun to write.

[Robert Haigh]

A consummate write, smooth and poetically expressive. I sense both aggression and humour in this fine piece!

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, Robert! :)

[Ken e Bujold]

Powerful write Matt. strikes great balance between sneer and pain of needing to exercise a demon. Love the "go hang from your sugarchain" a great metaphor, love when poet seizes an image in a wholly original way

ken e

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, Ken! :)

[W. Barrett Munn]

Your rhythm and syntax have hints of Shakespeare, which means it has a nice rhythm.

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, W! :)

[William Michael Reeves]

They took a bite out of you huh? Then picked their teeth with shards of your sanity! I like the concept of trying to repair a relationship with the glue, most likely the sticky residue from the sugarcane. Shattered rose! Nice one!

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, William! :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Now this was visceral and powerfully spoken from pained experience. Very jarring because the words seem to come from a place few wish to truly reveal, a place of agonizing truth. Exceptionally written, Matt. And incredibly emotive. You truly are a poet, more so then I could ever be.

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading and the compliments and self-deprecation, Carlos! :)

[Chris Shaw]

Wow mattavelli, there is some wrath here. A nice dose of bitterness laced with just a flavour of poison lol.

Go hang from your damned sugarchain

With hope left between sharpened teeth, I don't think there's the slightest chance of reconciliation.

Love the ballade format. Lovely flowing lines.

All the best

Chris

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, Christine! :)

[Poetic Beauty]

Love the has drifted away and is never coming back has left the heart and the person shattered

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, Poet! :)

[Poetic Beauty]

You are welcome. Love controls many emotions

[.]

Wow, just wow!! What a nice rhythmic write this is! Anger spewed out so vividly yet interestingly. I like the repetition of the line" The hopes left stuck between sharp teeths"... It shows denial of any consolation... So many sharp emotions are there within this... Thank you so much for sharing this...

[mattavelli]

Thank you for reading and the feedback, Dreamer! :)

[Betty Hermelee]

I love the ballad form and the flow is perfect; this is a kind of a push and pull love affair; I like the phrases...” hope left stuck between sharp teeth”.....I like the idea of a monster- like demon with a shell, but what’s underneath? I still see some hope in this bitterness.
Thanks for sharing
Best, Betty

[mattavelli]

Thanks for reading, Betty! :)
I'm sure this guy will work through his issues eventually. Haha

[Betty Hermelee]

Hope so, doesn’t matter, it’s a beautiful poem