Image: Zvaella
When the world ended
There was not much to see
Cloud, dust, mayhem, chaos,
All lined up to take a turn.
As we pulled ourselves from the ruin
Pushed back the chaos
Settled the mayhem
Cleared the dust
Blew away the cloud
We discovered to our horror
Among the detritus
Bits of people and their lives.
A pair of red tap shoes
Thrown randomly
Abandoned
Bereft of feet
That once tapped
In rhythms now lost
To melodies now extinct.
Nothing is intact
Life a gigantic jigsaw
The remnants, fragments of memory
Pieced together in moments of idle imagination.
I hold the red tap shoes close to me
Concrete objects of a lost world
Something whole
Not shattered as my arm is now.
I carry them with me
A reminder of what once was.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/photo-challenge-61-red-may-19-2015/
Morpethroad 
Lots to think about, Michael. Great write!
Thank you so much Oliana, lovely to see you stop by.
I like it when I spot your posts in my reader…it usually inspires me to write too:)
Good I look forward to reading your thoughts…
As we pulled ourselves from the ruin / Pushed back the chaos / Settled the mayhem / Cleared the dust / Blew away the cloud
Such strength and determination and hope injected in adversity – and the way you have chosen these simple phrases – flowing after the pointedly brief, staccato like opening is awesome.
A pair of red tap shoes / Thrown randomly / Abandoned / Bereft of feet / That once tapped / In rhythms now lost / To melodies now extinct.
Stunning flow and vivid portrait of a civilization blown apart – destroyed. This piece kind of reminds me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy – it has that strangely poignant and distanced feeling, yet it is intimate.
Amazing piece Michael 😀
Thanks so much Mercy, I am so pleased you enjoy my writing and write such lovely comment.
Well worth the time and pleasure of reading 😀
gorgeous poem… I love the imagery!
Thank you so much lori…..have a good day….
You’re welcome, Michael… have a wonderful evening too 🙂
Very well written though.
But – you already knew that. 😉
Yeah but you are allowed to tell me anytime you feel so moved…
Will do. 😀
There are so many incredible lines in this Michael (I could absolutely quote everything), what a striking heart-breaking image and yet as MJ says there is a determination seething underneath it all. You really have captured that sense of devastation.
Thanks so much Yves, the image said it all to me.
This reminds me of WWII and the scattering of so many people from their homes.
Could be of any current warring too. But the shoes… all lined up in the museum taken from the feet of those less fortunate to survive. And the soul survivor moving forward and creating a new life with new memories.
A powerful statement on our determination to destroy each other. The tap shoes are a piece of reality in an unreal world. And carry the tale of a world that was.