Puppetmaster’s Burden
They thought I’d be their puppet
by
pulling my strings
and
making me dance.
With each command
across the stage
(grotesquely shadowed by their hearts)
I lit a match for every hoop
and
watched it burn instead.
They tried with earnest
to set me right,
and force me into line.
Hung me next to other dolls,
with blank faces
and
no expression.
(their models)
Look!
they said.
But they spoke to nothing.
I cut my strings long ago
and left them all behind.
© C. Streetlights 2016
After writing and illustrating her first bestseller in second grade, “The Lovely Unicorn”, C. Streetlights took twenty years to decide if she wanted to continue writing. In the time known as growing up she became a teacher, a wife, and mother. Retired from teaching, C. Streetlights now lives with her family in the mountains along with their dog that eats Kleenex. Her new memoir, Tea and Madness is now available.
You can follow C. Streetlights on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads, and also see her author updates on Amazon.
Nicole Lyons 
Wonderful sense of freedom at the end there – awesome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s exactly how I felt when I first read it, free and fierce.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Made me want to cut strings to all kinds of things…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so glad you were able to feel the freedom I hoped to convey! I did feel such a sense of victorious freedom when I was able to just walk away.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I bet! Good grief! Can’t stand when you can SEE someone trying to manipulate you…I’ve been in that situation with an ex-boss and it was just dire.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite.” Robert Heinlein — Thanks C. Streetlights and Nicole for this poem of self-freeing. re-blogging
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that.
C. upped my heart rate a little with this one, very empowering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for visiting and for the re-blog.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
A freedom poem
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Bob.
LikeLike
Lovely, C.
LikeLike
I’m not having luck in commenting tonight, as I’ve commented my thanks to everyone who has visited here. Maybe Nicole will find my comments floating around in her WordPress like dust mites, I don’t know. Thank you everyone for your kind words. I am so happy you were all able to feel the same freedom I did when I finally fell from the last string and walked away, never looking back.
Much love.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So strange…I found you though ❤
LikeLike