The abrupt transition from cushioned concepts
To the sharp angles of literal life
Can create an internal dissonance
That has life-long detrimental effects
Like the death of something beautiful
His cutting, careless words
Cleaved their way through her tender garden of dreams
So quickly and cleanly
It took a moment for her to feel the sting
His crushing contempt ensured that nothing would be left to grow anew
She looked around at the carnage
Headless stalks
Blooms in pieces
Edges beginning to curl
Colors fading
And felt the tears begin
Hot, helpless and hurt
"Why would you want to be a stay-at-home mother? You'll never have anything. All the burden would be on your husband. That ain't fair. Why would you want to teach? You'll never make any money. You are smarter than that. You're just lazy Kris. You need someone to push you and motivate you to live up to your potential," he had said.
She looked at the ground, struggling for composure
Trying to breathe past the painful blockage in her throat
She mustn't let him see her cry, she thought
She mustn't let him know that he was killing her
He carried on, oblivious to her pain
Confidently cloaked in the mantle of experience that came from years she had yet to live
Confident on the pedestal she had created for him
He weaved his vision of what her future should look like
A mat of dried stalks that she could sit upon, live upon
The scene he painted on it left her cold with its artificial beauty
Its limited scope left little room for anything but small, careful movements
Money (just green and white paper)
Fancy cars (just painted metal)
A big house (just wood, glass, vinyl and brick)
Clothes (just fabric)
Jewelry (just stones)
She blinked past her tears and in a very small voice told him he was right
Of course he was
This tall, unbending, cynical, older, educated man
That had fallen into her life like a stone
An act of God
What was she at 21?
Still green
Bendable
Uncertain
© All Textual Rights Reserved By Kristiana Bennett 5/18/13
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