Rebirth

 

This “she” was birthed
in his fractured dreams
trusting as a forest fawn
endangered as a snowflake
falling on a May predawn

unwitting captive
to his fearful heart
caught in his twisted fantasy
conjured by his crippled soul
his power is his fallacy

always threatened
he seeks to dominate
to stifle her rising voice
to keep her mute and under thumb
tries to deny her right of choice

covetous of her beauty
envious of her intelligence
sought that she would be just his
in time she recognized the trap
realized she did not want this

with strengthened will
she at last finds her voice
speaks direct to what she sees
startled by her forthright way
he wants her silenced on her knees

she — whose tears once seared
this barren land
finds her rebirth
and makes a stand
she says — fuck you!
to his strangling hand
and walks away
from the startled man

*
rob kistner © 2022

More haibuns at: dVerse

 

26 thoughts on “Rebirth”

    1. Life is blossoming for her Grace, thank you. It’s sad when a good one gets trucked by a lost one — the goodness can keep them trapped…

  2. I’m glad she found her strength to stand up and walk away. No one wants to be a distorted something in another’s twisted fantasies.

  5. A powerful poem, Rob. Sadly, choosing to control, to keep another human being ‘mute and under thumb’, denying their right of choice, is abhorrent but, historically, men think it is their right to do so to women and are shocked when we speak up and choose to walk away from the situation. I want to know what happened to her.

    1. Thank you Kim. It was from the heart. The inspiration for this poem is as quite smart, genuinely kind & caring, and still truly cover-girl beautiful as ever — and very happy in life now. That toxic relationship is several years behind her now. Sadly for me, but fortunately for her, there were no children. She remains her own woman. Still increasingly successful in the financial world, owns two homes – one in San Francisco and one in Nashville — just sold a third she owned in Austin Texas. Travels the US annually for pleasure, including visiting several professional tennis tournaments each year — and occasionally out of the country. Loves and participates in sports. Big fan of both hers and her brother’s college alma mater football teams, both frequently nationally ranked top-10 each year. Played soccer up through college and beyond, having been an All-Star in high school. Plays semi-pro tennis for fun, participates successfully each year in the World Series of Poker in Vegas, and is a loyal active friend to a group of friends that stretch over the years from present back into junior high — one now living in a kibbutz in Israel. Our heroine is a huge help and great joy to her entire family, who is spread from East Coast to West Coast — and she will be here in three weeks, for a 5-day visit with her father, brother, and nephew, for his 9th birthday. She is greatly loved by the key people in her life.

  6. Absolutely enthralling take on a very difficult situation, well written. Brava to her for owning her own strength. I don’t even know him, but I certainly know him, you know?

    1. Thank you Chris, and yes l know. Unfortunately I and my son knew him personally. My daughter continues to shine in life, even brighter now that she shed that jerk.

    1. Thank you Colleen. I know what that emotional trap is like from both sides. I am thankful I grew and learned, as did my daughter. What makes it very difficult is, you must first conquer your own ego, to reach a point that you can either admit that you made a heartbreaking mistake, or are inexcusably wrong — depending on which side of the problem you find yourself on. It’s really not easy in matters of love — even bad unhealthy love. The time ill-invested is hard to swallow.

  8. Great that she found her voice… I think you described his dominance rooted in fear so well…

    1. Unfortunately, because l had a difficult childhood, I was that insecure asshole in my teens — but a strong kind woman opened my eyes, and I slowly learned to truly see. When my daughter got caught in that difficult emotional whirlpool, it was very hard for me to abide, but I did not want to push her away with irritating “dadsplaining”, but it was tough. She is extremely smart, and eventually she put mind over heart. Patience and familial love finally helped her pull out of the undertow. She is sailing now.

  9. “she says — fuck you! to his strangling hand and walks away from the startled man” ~~~ and I say BRAVA BEAUTIFUL LADY, BRAVA!

  11. Rob, I am so happy she found her voice and escaped such a slavery! So many are imprisoned by their own silence.

  12. I understand this is a hard thing, harder much for women than men to break away from a dominating other. I’m glad she did get out.
    ..

  13. Love the message in your poem. If only more people could find the courage to walk away like her. Sadly, many women are too scared of society’s opinion of them to leave their abusive partners. That’s true of many women in my part of the world. I don’t know how it is elsewhere.

    I like the form you used here. It was a pleasure to look at and to read.

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