Goodbye Vocal
For The Vocal Breakup Challenge
You've Done Your Best To Push Me Away
Though You Got My Best Every Day
Made It Clear My Work Was Trash
Reads And Books Brought Me Cash
I Know You Don't Care
I'll Shed No Tear
From My Eye
Oh My,
Bye
About the Creator
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More stories from Mike Singleton π Mikeydred and writers in Poets and other communities.
Foot Bindings
I asked my grandmother how she knew she'd fallen in love. I am not sure I ever did love him, she said. This was before I met my husband. I was naive, a naked spring, a raw nerve of a thing. That cannot ever be me, I knew. Sadness swept in gently like a Moscow thaw. It is no simple thing, looking into a woman's vast soul and seeing its foot bindings. Now, in Italy divorced with my skin singed off, when I say I don't love him mean: I have succeeded at feeling nothing most days and it mostly works. Do you want the comfort of Nothing? Do you want Nothing, too? Be warned: you'll never be free, even when you are nothing. Here is what doesn't work: Accepting the stages of grief. Talking about it. Sitting with the feeling. Missing himβno, the person you were when you believed in death do us part. Writing poetry. That, too. When I say I don't love him I mean: I feel capsized in an endless, starved tide. What sometimes works: selective memory. You must forget ripe tomatoes and his beard and feeling perfectly sheltered in a big blue world. Forget coffee in bed, laughter watching TV, blowing out the candles on the birthday cake and the quiet all-encompassing knowledge that you are chosen. Remember only how love turned to a banal everyday survival act, a trapeze act unsure whether he will catch you, how the warmth stagnated and became sour, remember the foot bindings and remember the resentment boiling in your veins as you stick it out for the kids. Six-hour Netflix binges help, too. A man's fingers tracing your spine. Frozen pizza at 2 a.m. Random trips to the museum just to stand near things that last a while. The realization that crying wonβt change anything. Seeing that life is just a dream, and refusing to participate in your own suffering. Bite your fist. Walk on eggshells around joy. When I say I don't love him, I mean he didnβt break my heart, he just stopped touching it and it forgot how to beat right.
By Ella Bogdanova2 days ago in Poets
Public Announcement Challenge Winners
For the Public Announcement Challenge, writers were asked to work inside voices built for control. These were notices, warnings, and updates meant to inform rather than confess. The strongest entries committed to that form and didn't break from it. Corporate memos, formal government alerts, and internal policy language were held consistently, allowing emotion, fear, grief, or humor to surface indirectly through pressure rather than declaration. The following poems recognize the voice of authority, and let human feeling slip through despite all its rules and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Team4 days ago in Resources
Comments (22)
The immense frustration felt by so many is so vividly portrayed in your nonet. Well done.
Ot's no joke to some, I feel like this most times for real. Still I forge on...writing to please me'self. Good one Mike.
The delicious irony if they place this one π Thought about writing one of these also aimed at the platform, but I don't think it will top this one.
This made me chuckle a bit because Vocal can, indeed be frustrating when we do our best and "they" find it lacking. I think most of us on this platform can relate. I know you aren't a quitter, so...I'm not worried.
Perfectly penned by you πππ Best of luck with the challenge Mikeydred!
I'm glad this is a joke, Mike! Excellent entry.
teehee β€οΈ excellent work yet again
You gotta stop scaring us like this Mike π π
From the title I assumed the worst! Then I saw it's for a challengeπ Great poem!
I haven't been on Vocal for so long. This was one of the first pieces I saw and I nearly messaged you thinking there'll be tea to spill. You got me good, friend β€
Excellent break up poem
Heheh. Fun work Mike! π
β€οΈ I hear ya! Glad you are sticking around though!
You not going nowhere right?
Glad you're not leaving!
Oh man! Great Nonet, but I hope you don't go, Mike!
You know you're not leaving.
Great nonet! I hope you win : )
Mike, I hope you know that a lot of people (including myself) appreciate your writing and read your stories. I in particular like your educational music-related pieces. Nice take on the challenge, though!
WOW! WHAT CAN I SAY?
It's all lies!!!! π€£π€£π€£ ya love it really... even if you love to hate it! βοΈ Love is love. β€οΈ
This gets to the point, but this is just a challenge isn't it. I like your writing.