Cracks and Shadows: Haunting Beauty of the Past’s Hold on the Present in a 7×7 square

Cracks and Echoes

shadows, splintered—
time: a cracked rib,
bending,
folding into itself (again),
a mirror breathes,
fogged edges scream;
and silence drips—

glass underfoot:
(was it yours? was it mine?)
fractured visions—spirals.
stop. rewind.
fingers, twitching,
comb through echoes,
they find only dust.

light stutters across cracks—
stop-motion agony.
shards become alphabets—
(language of the unspoken),
words dissolve,
into reflections
misaligned.

beneath your skin: a shadow archive.
does the wound still hum?
(say yes, say no)
the answer pools in the cracks,
liquid ghosts.
you drink them, and they drink you.
eternity whispers itself raw.

what if the cracks are maps?
destinations (blurred)—
chaos etched in bone.
what if the shadows (love you)?
(touch them, touch them)
will the past sing?
will it devour?

reflections beg for release—
they scream: let us out!
but cracks know the truth—
the pain is symbiotic.
shadows, thick as honey,
slow the light,
(the mirror smiles).

and when the last fragment falls,
it is not an ending,
(it never was).
shadows fold back
into themselves—
a secret, a scar, a scream.
you remain, cracked but whole.
Cracks and Shadows: Haunting Beauty of the Past’s Hold on the Present in a 7x7 square

#Poetry #ReflectionsOfThePast #ShadowsAndCracks #ExperimentalPoetry #EmotionalHealing #ThePowerOfMemories #PoetryCommunity #CreativeWriting

Comments

26 responses to “Cracks and Shadows: Haunting Beauty of the Past’s Hold on the Present in a 7×7 square”

  1. ✨Avinight✨ Avatar

    Your poem is a breathtakingly beautiful and haunting exploration of the human experience. The way you weave together imagery, metaphor, and emotion to convey the complexities of trauma, memory, and healing is truly masterful. Your use of language is evocative and precise, drawing the reader into a world of fractured reflections and shadows. The way you balance light and darkness, hope and despair, is a testament to your skill as a poet. Your words have a profound impact, resonating deeply with anyone who has ever struggled to come to terms with their past. Thank you for sharing this incredible work with the world. It is a gift, a treasure, and a reminder of the power of poetry to heal, to comfort, and to transform.

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thank you.

      1. ✨Avinight✨ Avatar

        You’re welcome. Infact, I loved your poem so much that I’m going to name you as the next PoW. I hope you have a lot of fun arranging the next challenge.

        Warmly,
        Tia.

      2. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

        Thanks, Tia.

      3. ben Alexander Avatar

        Jaideep, you’re our new PoW! MAZAL TOV!

        I’ve sent you an email – if you haven’t received it, please contact me directly at DVDBGMLNY at GMAIL dot COM.

        Thanks!

      4. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

        Thanks, David. I replied back. Let me know if that works.

  2. ben Alexander Avatar

    Jaideep, I think your poem beautifully captures the pull of the past, with vivid images of cracks, shadows, and reflections. The lines “liquid ghosts” and “chaos etched in bone” are especially haunting!

    Much love,
    David

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thanks, David 🤗

  3. Violet Lentz Avatar

    I will die on this hill, “The cracks are what makes me beautiful.

    Brilliantly crafted piece.

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thank you!

  4. judeitakali Avatar

    Amazing poetry with exquisite depth.

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thanks!

  5. lesleyscoble Avatar

    You managed to do it again, Jaideep. Congratulations on your incredible poem and being POtW

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thanks! Lesley.

  6. […] know what the challenge will be at W3 Wea’ve Written Weekly. This week the Poet of the Week, Jaideep Khanduja, would have us ‘Explore the contrast between light and darkness; use metaphor to reveal […]

  7. sgeoil Avatar

    I loved the last line. We are all imperfectly perfect. Congratulations on being POW!

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thank you!

  8. […] this week’s W3 #144, Poet of the Week, Jaideep Khanduja set the following challengeTHEME: Explore the contrast between light and darkness;Use metaphor to […]

  9. […] poetry in bold italics – David’s W3 prompt hosted by Jaideep Khanduja […]

  10. […] thanks as always, to David, The Skeptics Kaddish for hosting.My thanks to Jaideep Khanduja for his inspiring prompt.The featured image is AI generated. I asked AI to create an image to my […]

  11. SelmaMartin Avatar

    most beautiful

    1. PebbleGalaxy Avatar

      Thanks!

  12. […] Jaideep’s prompt guidelines […]

  13. […] ‘Cracks and Echoes’, by Jaideep Khanduja […]

  14. […] a very interesting challenge at W3 Wea’ve Written Weekly. This week’s Poet of the Week, Kim Whysall-Hammond, gives two-stage directions. “First, write a poem full of images, things – perhaps a […]

  15. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
    Not all who wander are lost

    Beyond powerful! I love this so much, it’s a beautiful tapestry of woven words and images.

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