Photographer: Amelia Fletcher (http://designspiration.net/image/1600174134540/)
I’ve been busy
digging around
for a part of me
I buried before
you
out in the backyard
behind the
only tree
like a duffel bag of
latex gloves and
bloodstained clothing
crucial
you found me
on a monday
poured over a
treasure map of
old photographs
marking a figurative ‘x’
on every familiar
face you asked
what I was looking
for I said the
breath in my
own lungs
you took me by
the elbow like
authority like
old love
you stood me
up raised a
finger to my
lips marked
an ‘x’ there I
closed my eyes
mouthed the words
where did you find it?
Nicole Marie
wordsandotherthings.wordpress.com 
Nicole Marie, this was breathtaking. The flow of the words forced me to set the pace, and the words… oh! They were dark, and sensual, and mysterious, and wonderful.
Thank you so much, Asha! 🙂
This left me breathless! I love the flow and the construction and this line, “marking a figurative ‘x’ / on every familiar / face” really stayed with me.
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
What a stellar depiction of an abusive, disempowering relationship. I applaud your courage in showing how this feels from the inside.
I didn’t quite understand your choices of where to put the line breaks, though.
Wow. The images you put on paper are breathtaking. Jagged and tormented, yet nervy — she says “the breath in my own lungs.” I especially liked this bit: “like a duffel bag of / latex gloves and / bloodstained clothing / crucial.” “Crucial” is such a crucial word here! Man, it’s gonna be hard to judge entries tonight.
“you asked/ what I was looking/ for I said the/ breath in my/ own lungs” tells so much about this relationship. The fact that she had to specify which lungs points all fingers at a greedy and ungiving “you”.
May be am being too figurative but I must say this is beautiful!
Thank you, B.J.! 🙂