Family Portrait
Stop looking back
Stop illustrating your happy memories in
Start seeing the shadows
Paint in oil
Smear past tears onto your canvas.
Parents then
Friends now.
The hours spent in your room
Becoming a better person
Seeing red
Feeling red
Hating to brush your hair
Become wicked cycles when you
Repeat the colors of your childhood and
Paint in the same shades.
Be a bridge between a broken cycle and
The legacy you pass down.
Reach for a new palette
Brushstroke sunrises instead of sunsets.
Too many people punish and
Forget to teach.
Loved ones then
Loved ones now.
Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash
Written for Experiments in Fiction Poetry Challenge #12: The Poetry of Childhood.
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Dominic Alapat
A poem with wonderful imagery, deep meaning and a great message! It tells you the truth about family life!
Natsukashii | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity
[…] memories: Arristela; paradise; nzain; vrunda; Jane; plaridel; Brendan; Teresa; reluctant; Jaya; Tim; wandering; sakshi; supreet; chinhooi; […]
Nancy
Ooooh, I like this piece. The reference of using oil over watercolors is strong. It is easier to manipulate watercolor and remove it if we made a mistake. Oils, a bit harder, but we have to roll with it. Thank you for sharing this!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
Elle
“Too many people punish and forget to teach” I love this line, Jaya! Your work is amazing and it’s truly relevant for me. Thank you for being you and for your such amazing talent! ✨😊
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your amazing thoughts! You quote my favorite line from this piece.
Rishika Kakar
Such beautiful and impactful words, Jaya! Your writing speaks volumes. Moving forward is indeed the key.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much for connecting with this writing!
Vinn
I feel this speaks about past hurts… truly touched my heart.
Chris - CJ Attractions Guide
Such great words and a powerful message
Thecaskconnoisseur
I can’t believe how strong worded this poem is, wow so much energy going on! But as always you’ve written it so lovely Jaya 😁
Jaya Avendel
Thank you! It is sometimes a challenge to rope the energy into feel-able words, so I love that you felt this.
sammicoxwriter
A powerful poem so beautifully written, Jaya 🙂
Jaya Avendel
Thank you!
paeansunplugged
Jaya, this really touched me. As parents it is our duty to break the cycle of violence, if any. But first of all, acknowledge and accept that there was violence.
Jaya Avendel
Yes! Thank you for sharing this truthful thought.
paeansunplugged
You are welcome.
Unwanted Life
Great poem. I wish I could stop looking back, my past has haunted me for so long and was the cause of my mental health issues, that it’s hard to shed yourself of it
meredithdent
This is such a beautiful poem! It really speaks to me on a personal level and I loved reading it. It really creates a strong, tangible feeling to it. I absolutely loved it ❤️
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your connection to this poem!
lynnmumbingmejia
Wow… “seeing red feeling red” so powerful! Great job.
allysnotebook
Powerful message thankyou. Reflecting back on my childhood I see a dark grey canvas , I do my best to try and put in some dabs of colour.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your personal connection to this! Dabs of color are as important as acknowledging the grey.
Amisha Acharya
Such powerful words so concisely and elegantly expressed!
Anika May
Very powerful words, it almost reads like two poems at once! Great post.
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
eob2
Smear past tears onto your canvas. A wonderful line.
I’m not sure, but feel you are talking about verbal/physical
Child Abuse. I might be wrong, it’s how a read it. however it is a cycle that is often repeated. 💔🖤
Jaya Avendel
Writing this poem I had spanking in mind and, while, I am not talking specifically of violence as big as child abuse, it is definitely something that can be read into this piece.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
eob2
You’re welcome. 😊
Ingrid
A powerful message comes through loud and clear in the thought-provoking poem, Jaya. I love the painting metaphor.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you! The painting metaphor helped inspire the title. 🙂