Fist
It was that night, as they lay choking in the stench of jasmine,
that he unmasked his rage. Their whole life, it seemed,
was a cipher that obscured his former truths.
Now he seemed socked in by this sudden swirling fog of memories
that suddenly parted, giving him access to his rage.
It was his mother, not her, he said later, that he had struck out at,
but in trying to confront his past,
he had obliterated any hope for their future.
Prompts for the day are unmask, rage, jasmine, cypher and sock.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
I hit like, not that I like the facts, but rather because you did a fine job of speaking of a horror happening behind closed doors and lives being ruined behind them. I have seen the results of this terror and it is so sad, especially when the strong are picking on the weak with no way to get away.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Luckily not autobiographical.
LikeLike
Likewise; I support a place here in the Austin area that does a great job of giving shelter and help to ladies who are victims of abuse. I have a few times offered my guest house (“the barn”) when one needs to be (in hiding), while legal action is being taken. My location is a good place to hide out and cell phones do not work here to give their location away. I only had one lady who did not respect the effort, but I did have one stay with a small child for a long time.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Such a worthy cause. Thanks on behalf of all who need that gift of safety.
LikeLike
So often rage is taken out on a person other than the true object of the rage. It is a sad fact, too, that a side consequence of the covid-19 shutdown has been an increase in spousal abuse. A great poem, illustrating the horror of such horror!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not to mention the person who shot the mall personnel who asked him to put a mask on. Unbelievable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We seem to have descended into a life in which there is little oral discussion — it all happens with the guns! I didn’t grow up that way — and don’t understand where it came from!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nor do I.
LikeLike
Powerful and poignant. Rage and violence, however justified, are always a negative. Very well said
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sadje..
LikeLiked by 1 person
A pleasure
LikeLike
Wow, sounds like years of pent up hurt and anger.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Sam, who wrote the story about the teachers? I can’t find a name on it. I think you’e published it before or else I’ve read it elsewhere and yes, a very touching tale.
LikeLike
Good morning Ms Judy~!
Sorry I was not trying to plagiarize, but that post had no credit given because there was no trace of ever given in the several times I have seen it posted. I had this in my files and have never seen where anyone was given credit for it. As I said it is “just a feel good post” and was well written. You can find more information on it here:
https://www.liveabout.com/the-story-of-little-teddy-stoddard-3955488
LikeLike
After your question, I did do more research and came up with it being originally written by Elizabeth Silance Ballard (now Elizabeth Ungar) The fact that this was never given in the several places where I have seen it posted trickled down to my making the same unfortunate error.
MVC
LikeLike
Thanks, Sam. People have become so lax about attribution that I usually do the same when reblogging or reposting. I’m glad you are able to give this author her due!
LikeLike
But OMG. Check out her Facebook site. She credits Trump as being a great president because he can’t be bought! And more……
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, I never did go to her Facebook, but I did read that she was a devoted “church lady”. Well a widowed, retired, octogenarian, schoolmarm, Church Lady may have a few flaws somewhere,,,, Oh!, oh! forget I said that,,, but you can use all of those adjectives as prompts to write a poem, but add conservative, and Trump Base to it, because I do not plan to use it today. There is one book that she wrote that I was planning on reading because I thought: Hay that sounds like she has summed up Donald Trump, But now I think it may be her husband~! It might be worth the $ 4 to read it on Kindle.
MARKHAM GILLESPIE
Here is the review on it: Mr. A. Markham Gillespie was a most unique individual in that his self-image and his self-esteem were on equal terms with each other. He truly thought others believed him to be the superior person he believed himself to be. This fact would have come as a surprise to the townspeople, however, since A. Markham Gillespie was the most despised man in town. His first wife, Juliette, had been the love of his life. As for wives #2 and #3, the less said about them the better as far as he was concerned! It was his fourth wife, Kimberly, who accomplished what A. Markham had failed to accomplish. She was, perhaps, his real legacy to the citizens of Kohlgreitz.
LikeLike