Tuesday, April 9, 2019

The Brave Side of The Pillow


The black heart of secrets
pressed into my young chest
and even a single breath of trust
had to travel miles of agony
to reach enough light to thrive.

When light left my windowsill
nightmares argued at the end
of my bed about which terror
would walk across my dreams.

I remember when the night voices
came to the brave side of my pillow,
and led me where shadows
had pretty colors and kind words.

Imagination tended my wounds
until it grew a name on my tongue
to address the tiny saviors who
lived in the valley of invisible.

Pillowkins, I called them Pillowkins,
dream warriors who giggled me
out of the jaws of a demon.

When nightmares clawed
my eyes into hollow,
my tiny army would
lead me to a place of peace
where the moon didn’t bleed
nor the fox stalk my throat
to see if truth was growing
strong enough to expose lies.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2019

#NaPoWriMo2019











12 comments:

  1. I really love the ending with the fox and truth telling. A child's journey.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the night voices coming to the brave side of your pillow, and, especially, the giggling dream warriors. The fox image is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My goodness this is incredibly evocative in its portrayal of the nightmares of a child, Susie! I could feel every word, every emotion and image as I read through with awe. I applaud you for your kind and brave spirit! Thank you so much for writing to the prompt!❤️

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wonder how much of this comes from your childhood. The image of the fox is incredible. Glad you had the pillowkins.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Brilliant writing, and how fantastic to have the Pillowkins.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the way you needed this, and all throughout I felt the terror.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh I could use me some pillowkins these days, yessir.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have goosebumps~ I feel like this is a living daymare. The valley of the invisible is haunting! Bravo! I am so, glad I came to the Garden for a visit~ Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The last stanza, those last two lines... powerful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. where shadows
    had pretty colors and kind words...
    so much vivid imagery in this poem!

    ReplyDelete
  11. The title got me thinking about what could be under or in a pillow – I sometimes hear noises from mine. I love the lines:

    ‘When light left my windowsill
    nightmares argued at the end
    of my bed about which terror
    would walk across my dreams’
    and
    ‘Imagination tended my wounds
    until it grew a name on my tongue
    to address the tiny saviors who
    lived in the valley of invisible’.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Reminds me of how I feel about my bed...my safe place

    ReplyDelete