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Untitled by Selma Martin

Untitled by Selma Martin

Last night the air smelled acrid
Like the metallic stench of long ago
when my girl dreams you shattered
and you would not let me go

I saw myself prostrated—
a maimed lame dog at your boots
my face, blotched and bloated
my mouth, a heavy bloody mousse

A touch on my arm alerts me
of where I am and who…
I’m not her—that girl died in the fire
when the house caved in with you.

At times the stench comes haunting
unsummoned recalls in lucid dreams
what did I do to deserve such horror
and none to attend to my screams

I am NOT what happened to me
I lean on my strengths to take heed
—I AM not what happened!
What happened was YOUR disease.

© selma

Note from the author:

Abuse everywhere. Senseless horror everywhere. Only with compassion will we get out of this ‘wrong’ alive and helpour sisters to rebuild their lives. We need to be here for each other. And we need to reach out in times of need.A lack of reaction is the worst thing that can happen.

Author’s Bio

Selma Martin is a retired English teacher with 20 years of teaching children ESL. She believes in people’s goodness and in finding balance in simple living. She lives in Japan with her husband of thirty-three years. In 2018, Selma participated in a networking course whose final lesson was to publish a story on Amazon. After many failed attempts, she completed the course and self-published her short story, Wanted: Husband/Handyman, in 2019. Later, collaborating with peers from that course, she published Wanted: Husband/Handyman in an anthology, Once Upon A Story: A Short Fiction Anthology. 

Selma has published stories on Medium for many years, in MasticadoresUSA, The Poetorium At Starlight, Short Fiction Break, Lit eZine, and Spillwords. After her first NaPoWriMo 2021, Selma writes poetry on her website, selmamartin.com, and in July 2023, published a debut poetry collection on Amazon. You can find Selma, selmawrites, on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Publicado por

michnavs

Michelle Ayon Navajas (born June 23, 1976) is a Filipino poet, writer, and educator. She is a Best-Selling international Poet known for her books reaching the #1 spot within days of their release. Her 8th poetry book, “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark,” went straight to the top of both the best-sellers list and new releases on Amazon on short notice. Her 7th poetry book, “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” went straight to the best-sellers list on Amazon in less than 24 hours of release by pre-orders alone and eventually became the number Poetry Book on Amazon India on its actual release day, soon after the book rose to the best- sellers list as well in all other Amazon Markets worldwide. Currently, Michelle holds the title of having 4 books published in a row to have made it to Amazon’s Best-Sellers List ("I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “After Rain Skies, 2nd Edition,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”) and 3 books on Amazon’s #1Hot New Releases/New Releases ("I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”.) Her poetry appeared in several international literary magazines and anthologies such as Spillwords NYC, MasticadoresUsa, and MasticadoresIndia. Her poems “Holding Hands” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for November 2021 and “Love Happens” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for December 2022. She is also part of the award-winning ensemble of authors in two Poetry Anthologies, that are both Amazon Best-Sellers: Hidden In Childhood and Wounds I Healed. Graduated with a Master of Education majoring in English in the Philippines (University of San Agustin, Iloilo City). Michelle was a former college professor, teaching literature, speech & oral communication, creative writing, drama, and theatre arts. She is also a graduate of Mass Communications major in Journalism (Centro Escolar University, Manila). Michelle is active in her writing profession and works as a freelance creative writer. Follow her online: www.michnavs.wordpress.com IG @poetrybymich FB Poetry by Mich You Tube Poetry by Mich Amazon Author Central Goodreads

47 comentarios en “Untitled by Selma Martin”

  4. Pingback: Untitled by Selma Martin – Selma
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  11. Selma, I love your work and this piece of course is no difference. Writing this could not have been easy, thank you so much for sharing, it means so much to others. Bless your heart. It is always a blessing to read you my friend. I felt like I was beside you wanting to help you. I wanted to add this to my comment!

    Myth #1: Victims can provoke sexual assaults if they dress provocatively or act promiscuously. Fact: Rape/ sexual assault are violent crimes and involve the need to exercise control over another person’s determination. It is all about power. 

    Thank you again for your publication and for sharing Selma. Bless your heart. 

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    1. Thanks for this lovely comment, Joni.
      That mindset that makes that myth ‘the law’ NEEDS be obsolete! People need to wake up.
      No matter how much women ‘muscle up’ nothing will change if the mindset doesn’t.
      Thanks for the lovely support of my work always, Joni. Bless you. Xoxo

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