Self-Portrait
If I were to paint myself
the hues would speak of pain
Doused in red and black,
crimson ire soaking
the bed sheets of the mind
with sorrowful cries
Blended with narcissistic
cacophony in ears too shadow-filled to hear
Lies and guilt overshadow
the face, with lines too deep to care
The canvas is tarred and mold-ridden
from nicotine stains and a tired heart
The hands burnt red from
catching colds stripped of pride
The eyes a pitiful stare
off into the abyss which never stares back
The mouth, a lost child prying
lips open, hoping to speak
The hair, tangled with four
regretted
seasons, locked to the sky
Adam Levon Brown is an internationally published poet and author
in 14 countries. He has had his work translated in Spanish, Albanian and
Afrikaans. Boasting upwards of 300 published pieces, you can find his writing
at such publications as Burningword Literary Journal, Angel City Review,
Firefly Magazine, Epigraph, Burning House Press and many more. He was
longlisted in the 2017 Erbacce Prize poetry competition.
Tags:
Poetry