The Startled Man
this “she” was birthed
in his fractured dreams
helpless as a forest fawn
frail as a snowflake
falling on a May predawn
a captive
to his fearful heart
caught in his twisted fantasy
conjured by his crippled soul
his power is his fallacy
he needs her weak
for at his core
he’s filled with sour doubt
knows his time of tyranny
is quickly running out
threatened
he seeks to dominate
silences her rising voice
to keep her mute and under thumb
tries to deny her right of choice
with strengthened will
she finds her voice
speaks direct to what she sees
startled by her forthright way
he wants her back upon her knees
once a hollow woman-husk
with sorrow dark as growing dusk
whose spirit withered
in the dimming light
as nightmares swelled
night after night
whose tears once seared the barren land
now rebukes
his fisted hand
and walks away
from the startled man
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2012