Cracked Canvas

I've painted my canvas
many times over
to conceal that which
you didn't realize
you hated about me.

Did you know?

Every word you spat
about others
found me
tagged me.
So I pulled out
protective primer
and paint
to cover those words
to whitewash the hate.

Did you know?

Did you?

So, now,
many years later
those layers of paint
and protective primer
are cracking and peeling.
Yet, I'm still unwilling
to strip my many coats
and reveal my
shaky foundation.

Why?

Do you know?

Cracked Canvas: From prose to poetry

“Cracked Canvas” is a piece of a novel I’ve nurtured for years. I struggled to capture the emotional depth I craved when the story was written as prose. Multiple revisions never met my approval. It was the transition to poetry that finally allowed my story to breathe and resonate deeply.

Poetry’s economics transformed the story, offering the symbolic emotional punch of identity, self-protection, and resilienc that prose couldn’t fully deliver. “Cracked Canvas” leverages the emotional resonance I long sought.

Shifting to poetry invites a shared journey into the essence of being. Join the conversation below, sharing your thoughts and experiences with poetry vs. prose. Let’s connect through the art of words.

For those interested in exploring the nuances of poetry further, The Poetry Foundation offers an insightful guide on how to read and understand poetry, enriching your experience with ‘Cracked Canvas’ and beyond.