Exterminating Angels

 Exterminating Angels

 

 

I buried my heart under bruised knees

exposed my soul just in time for her to flee

she swallowed my love and pride 

in the same disease

left me a hallow husk with no need to be

because even barbarians and beast 

seem to bleed

so I drank it all away 

as I bared witness to her beautiful decay

only our scars and shame stained 

like the blood of Christ on sunday

so I spilt hers first

poured my father’s curse

deep into were my lord was birthed

I scorched and abounded

her fragile earth

then we tore each other to pieces

the lust we reach is...

the pain we teach is...

the love we preach is...

the abandoned dreams suckled away by leaches

and all we had left where 

broken dolls and shattered dames

lost echoes of a September rain

crumbled letters and box-cutter removed veins

because there’s no cries for help in suicide

just plans gone awry

it’ll take more than razor blades

and lullabies

for this devil to die

 

--Z.Silas Herrera

Reviews

[Marie Anzalone]

Yes, this suits my mood tonight. Indeed.

A hard piece of writing- the words are violent, yet seem to be looking for redemption, if I am getting the full meaning. I had to read it a few times, and I'll be honest- I'm still not sure. It's like I get the intent but can't quite see the full story- because there are details missing when I look at the whole picture. The sense of it though came through loud and clear. Once again, another darkly beautiful piece.

[Kristallo]

I felt I could relate to this poem very much. It describes the bitterness of life and the frailty of human emotion, with sardonic lines like, "broken dolls and shattered dames.. Lost echoes of a September rain." There are underlying whispers of scorned faith with the hollowed reality of lost love and isolation. This is sincere in its harshness, and surrealistic in its imagery. Very nice.

[Seracies]

Whoa. So much imagery that I want to revisit, so sharp and profound the phrases and words all mingled in a dark mood of beautiful death and pain. There are a couple of lines that really stand out to me, made me pause and want to praise you, so forgive me if I end up highlighting the entire poem.
The first line, "I buried my heart under bruised knees" immediately caught my attention. Something as devastating and pure as a heart buried under bruises was so hopeless and plunged me head first into the essence of the writing.
"because even barbarians and beast
seem to bleed"
Giving something so distinctly inhuman the universal feeling of pain, made me think about tarnishing humanity, and there is something so human about destruction.
Just one question, the line "as I beard witness to her beautiful decay" I'm wondering if that is a typo and is supposed to be 'bared' or if I'm wrong and it is supposed to be 'beard.'
Lovely poem, thank you for sending me the read request.