"The Harpy"

 

 

Above all, she soars
Her vicious talons sharp
She swoops
Her wicked claws rip and tear
Into her own children
Cruelly she slices her prey
Ignores their anguished cries
Her evil hunger feeds upon the flesh of her babies
She devours their adoration
Her soul-eating cravings insatiable

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman    

"Your Silence"

  

I have no excuse for hurting you
Saying
“I didn’t understand”
doesn’t erase your pain
When you stripped bare
our differences,
I built a defensive wall
to shelter our friendship
to protect us from the World’s invasive
discord and discontent
I begged for less
Your silence honors me

Copyright 2018 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

"Something to Prove"

   

unnatural competition
sibling rivalries created and nurtured
by narcissistic manipulations
the alcoholic mother and enabling father
doling out love to the winners
the challenge evolves
 to plastic wives and drunken children
awards for misogyny and adultery
applause for cheats
 and deceits
victory gained
by zealous clannish unity
that punishes the different drummer
with ostracism and disdain
darkness shadows each generation
with something to prove

 

Copyright 2022 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman  

"Delete, Delete, Delete"

 

More deaths

More excuses

More status updates

More comments

         I’m right

                  You’re wrong

         It is the weapon

                  Fuck you

         Punching keys

         Angry

         Frustrated   

         Viciously vomiting vile

                           DELETE, DELETE, DELETE

         I understand

         Your fears bind your logic

         It is the weapon—and more

         Let’s find common ground

         Pausing at each letter

         Appeasing

         Calmer

         Weighing wary words

More deaths

More excuses

More status updates

More comments

         I’m right

                  You’re wrong

         Lives matter

                  Fuck you baby killer

         Gnashing teeth

         Pissed

         Wordless

         Shredding senseless shit

                           DELETE, DELETE, DELETE

         I understand

         Your reasoning rambles

         It is the weapon—and more

         Set aside the diversion—for another time

         Carefully staying focused

         Sensible

         Cogent

         Decisively data driven

More deaths

More excuses

More status updates

More comments

         I’m right

                  You’re wrong

         More guns? No way!

                  Fuck you BITCH!

         Away from keyboard

         Pulling hair

         Livid

         Annihilating aggravating assholes

                           DELETE, DELETE, DELETE

 Copyright 2018 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman 

         

        

                

"There's A Pill For That"

  

headache or heartache; weight up or down

fungus or fever; face in frown

helpless or tired; skin with a red rash

anxious or cold; a nighttime hot flash

grab a cure-all; or rub a lotion

pop an antidote; or down potion

drink elixir; or chew sweet tablets

suck a lozenge; or swallow pellets

foolish and stupid; minds closed to truth

shallow and stubborn; creeds blight our youth

righteous and pure; their justice is small

cruel and petty; their views destroy all

grab a cure-all; or rub a lotion

pop an antidote; or down potion

drink elixir; or chew sweet tablets

suck a lozenge; or swallow pellets

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

"He Wasn't Cruel"

  

He wasn’t cruel—

         But he owned her

Possessed her body

         (not her soul-for she had none)

She was a toy for his whims

         A reward dangled before his sons

He demeaned her through his subjugation

         Degraded her

                  Kept her impotent and isolated

Took her hope and sold it to the highest bidder

He wasn’t cruel—

         But he denied her the power of choice

Stripped her to the bones of despair

         Controlled her mind

                  Consumed her life

Yes,

         He wasn’t cruel

Copyright 2017 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

"Stillness"

Today I need to step outside of myself
            to embrace caution
            to access this new information
            to slow down my pulse with measured breaths
 
Today I need to locate my panic’s source
            to immobilize my fear
            to heed my heart’s warnings
            to analyze my certainty I’ll be hurt again
 
Today I need to be still
            to reflect upon my younger self’s doubts
            to acknowledge her searing pain
            to wrap her safely within the tranquility of my experiences

 
Copyright 2024 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman