"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up"

[reidharriscooper]

I dripped through the pain
Anguish rising, my heart pounding
It happens regularly since that day
I've always been a statue and a beast
Destitute to displaying emotion publicly
The big shoulder for all till alone

The good old song goes
you get knocked down, you get up again
Hit me, you can't hurt me, suck my kiss
You can also try to choke me out
hurt me like an animal
I stare you down like a stone cold fox
Unfeeling, unknowing, never deterred

Till I'm back in my own personal womb
then the break down comes
like a river it flows
I float down it
eventually smiling
eventually laughing
till once again facing you
eyes set, unmoving, prepared
come at me, I beg of you
It's your funeral
Mine will come one day
but not by your hand
I can die, but I will never surrender

(songs referenced: RHCP-Suck My Kiss (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jElKMMOWM), Chumbawomba - Tubthumping (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc)

Written for The Real LJ Idol on DreamWidth. Week One, topic One.

Comments

[the_eternal_overthinker]

This is nice, very evocative. Good job with the prompt. And looking forward to reading more from you :)

[reidharriscooper]

There's lot more from previous LJ Idols if you just go looking under my dreamwidth name in google.

I'm glad you enjoyed.

[the_eternal_overthinker]

I have read your previous work and enjoyed them as well :) I was eternal_ot on LJ Idol.

[reidharriscooper]

Waves!
Glad to hear it.

[eeyore_grrl]

I love this line, "I've always been a statue and a beast"

Good job.

[reidharriscooper]

As the lines came to I felt the best to let them drop as they did. Glad to hear something caught you.

[rayaso]

This was very enjoyable, even without knowing the songs. I particularly liked "Till I'm back in my own personal womb
then the break down comes."

[reidharriscooper]

I love that people are pulling out specific lines they enjoyed. Much thanks.

[thephantomq]

There's much about this to like. :) The song references flow well and I love the opening line.

[reidharriscooper]

Ooh much, not just one particular line. Many thanks of appreciation.

[murielle]

Strong imagery! Strong emotion! Strength throughout, even in the privacy of the pain. Well done!

Great to see you again!

[reidharriscooper]

Thanks Murielle. Much appreciated!

[adoptedwriter]

So well-worded, esp the "own personal womb" line.

[reidharriscooper]

Very appreciative.

[bellatrixe]

I really love this. This part really resonates with me so much too:

come at me, I beg of you
It's your funeral
Mine will come one day
but not by your hand
I can die, but I will never surrender

:D

[reidharriscooper]

Many thanks and appreciation.

[dmousey]

"Destitute to displaying emotion publicly
The big shoulder for all till alone" + "I can die, but I will never surrender."

These are my favorites. I think we do our men a disservice by demanding their stoicism. Great piece. Thank you for sharing. 😊✌💙

[reidharriscooper]

I actually choose to be stoic so others can be weak.
It may not be the right choice, but it is the one I make. Sometimes if I close enough with someone and we have a shared pain I will have us cry on each other.

Thanks for reading and complimenting.

[tatdatcm]

The sense of grief held back by stoicism came through very real to me.

[reidharriscooper]

Much thanks and appreciation.

[moretta]

I like the adrenaline rush of this at the beginning. Very well done!

[bewize]

Strong ending to this poem! Good job!

[favoritebean_writes]

So many earworms! Earworms are good.

[halfshellvenus]

I've always been a statue and a beast
Destitute to displaying emotion publicly
The big shoulder for all till alone
This part is so vivid, and what follows supports this dichotomy of the public person vs. the more vulnerable one inside (the one with no obligation to reassure others and no fear of succumbing to harder feelings where others can see).

Nice.

[alycewilson]

I hope to see more of your poetry. Was this a song? If so, it would be great to hear it, too.