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Damaged for life

Damaged for life

 

The house was drab and in need of paint

the curtains yellow with the stains of smoke

The garden lacked lustre, unkempt and ignored

as the gate swung to and fro in a whimsical wind

 

Inside it was stale, discoloured and unclean

full ash trays with old socks soaking in a tub

She sat alone smoking with a mug in her hand

propped up so as to see the comings and goings outside

 

A cat sheepishly shuffled about from chair to floor

dust covered surfaces denied any sense of shine

Her teeth were tarnished by constant tobacco use

her complexion sallow, worn and wrinkled

 

The room held a depressive atmosphere of inertia

a table lamp shade was damaged by a burn mark

A newspaper four days old lay on the floor unread

her son was upstairs asleep off a night shift

 

She suffered from depression and anxiety neurosis

alternating between high and low moods

A forced smile welcomed me into her rented council  home

as a girl she had been sexually abused by her father

🌷(4)

◄ All around us

Heart Attack ►

Comments

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jennifer Malden

Wed 4th Sep 2019 19:55

Very sad and well described - we all know at least one neglected home I would think. Only thing - I've never seen a 'sheepish cat'!! Sheepish cos it realised its home was really grotty? In my experience cats don't care about tidiness as long as they are fed and do what they want. Nice combination anyway.

Jennifer

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Jon

Sat 17th Aug 2019 19:42

Hi Keith
A very sad but descriptive piece. Well observed and conveyed
Jon

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Adam Rabinowitz

Thu 15th Aug 2019 20:05

Keith...great eye for character and observation. Last line drops with powerful effect. Sorry it has raken me until now to start reading your work. I definitely think this is a strong piece.

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keith jeffries

Mon 12th Aug 2019 09:05

Thank you Kevin, Dorothy and Don for your comments. Kevin your words are wise and should be a reminder to us all that what we see on thes surface often has a different story beneath.

Keith

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kJ Walker

Mon 12th Aug 2019 06:52

A sad reminder that we shouldn't judge people. It's the same with homeless people, we don't know what they've been through to get where they are.

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Don Matthews

Sun 11th Aug 2019 11:03

So well executed Keith. You lead the reader along and explain all the above in the final line. It's like the reverse of a joke which leads you along to the end punchline. Anyhow, that's a similar technique I feel you have used here for a 'sad' theme. Well done.......

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