Old Wounds

Anarae Silverwillow

This Body

A museum of old wounds,
I roam the halls,
Revisiting each one.

Touching scars

That etched deep
From their hands
And my own.

A map of suffering
Known all too well.
I search for an exit,
But there is no way out.

Only to sit
In this skin

And breathe.

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Written on July 13, 2023

Submitted by CarpeKairos on July 23, 2023

: 19 sec read
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Quick analysis:

Scheme	XXX XXX XXAX AX
Closest metre	Iambic dimeter
Characters	263
Words	65
Stanzas	4
Stanza Lengths	3, 3, 4, 2

Full analysis for Old Wounds »

Anarae Silverwillow

Anarae's raw, revealing poetry explores complex emotions and mental health through the lens of childhood trauma. For Anarae, meticulously crafting each verse provides a sense of control and empowerment. Her poems traverse the spectrum of human experience - from crushing depths of despair to flickering glimpses of hope. Writing offers an oasis of self-expression where difficult truths can be transformed into art, and developing a community of readers with shared wounds brings connection. While the journey of healing is ongoing, Anarae finds solace in using finely-tuned language like stitches to mend the fragmented self. She continues to embrace poetry as a means of spiritual release, mental wellness, and deeper human connection. more…

All Anarae Silverwillow poems | Anarae Silverwillow Books

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jeremyt.40101
Going down this list of new poems on the page, this one was a breath of fresh air. It has a higher quality of subtext that is instantly recognizable. I always try to give feedback rather than just platitudes so here are a few suggestions. Feel free to ignore them.
I found myself wanting a few things from your poem:
There is room for more specificity in certain places, but if you prefer the ambiguous that is fine.
For example, you write "That etched deep/ From their hands/ And my own." All should understant self-wounds just fine, but who exactly are "they." I am not a fan of nebulous "theys."
Going with the museum metaphore, instead of just saying "scars," how about giving us glimpses of specific exhibits...maybe snippets of memory or distinct wounds.
Finally, I get that this is your body and not a real museum, but museums have spectators just as people always view and judge the body. Where are they in this poem.
Like I said, I really do enjoy this poem. If it says exactly what you want to say in the way you want to say it then good job. If you are still working it the great start!
Feel free to read and criticize any of my poems. Chew them up and spit them back out at me. I live on honest feedback. more »
LikeReply 19 months ago

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"Old Wounds" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/164951/old-wounds>.

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