What pretence to play at happy families.
The key to my heart
Was the key to my doom.
You locked me in
Grabbed me by the short and curlies
Then locked out my heart
Denied me love
But scapegoating was your weapon of choice.
The simple became the complicated
The necessary the arbitrary
Common sense a random behaviour.
The love you shared came at a price
Conditional always on my compliance.
There were moments when you appeared to reach out
Offered tokens of love
For that’s all they were
Figments of your warped imagination.
Then one day I took off
Left the nest, stood up
Moved out, no return.
You tried to temp me
Made offers as hollow as you are
With trinkets, promises and feigned desire.
Now I play true happy families
With honesty, love, caring
Compassion and hope.
It tears you up I know
And I’m glad
As I just don’t care.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/07/05/writing-prompt-114-collage/
Morpethroad 
Painful, but I’m glad you’re in a loving situation now.
Thank you Dell.
Great that you “now play true happy families.”
Thank you its much nicer now….
Poignant and your interpretation is really outstanding you saw so deeply into the images and really used them
Thanks Yves, they each said so much to me and gave me lots of things to consider….great prompt
I am so glad you liked it Michael =)
This says it all! That simple first line hit it out of the ball park and the rest brought it on home! Wow!
Thanks Linda I appreciate you stopping by….hope your weekend was a good one….
It was wonderful. Is it snowing there?
No Linda mine is a very temperate climate. We consider the occasional frost a cold morning. Cold early but warm sunny days.
I think many can fit right into this scenario – I can. I often learned by ‘Do as I say not as I do.’ So I knew when my own family came around I would live by ‘Do as I say and as I do’. Much happier that way.
This was a wonderful comment Jules, you summed up how I treated my kids as they grew up in deference to their mother’s approach which was the ‘do as I say not as I do’ approach….thanks so much for your input and comment…
This is one absolutely stunning piece Michael.
It speaks so passionately and clearly, each word precision edged – cutting – and vivid – offering such depth and insight to the pain that can be inflicted – and yet – the resolution – the strength in making a choice – difficult but necessary – and the courage to recognize that “no” is an option.
What strength – determination- faith and hope – and I’m so glad that it has all turned out so much better – and happier for you. As it should be.
I only hope my situation will resolve itself as gladly as yours has – time will tell.
Well done Michael – and thanks for sharing such an integral part of “your story” in your beautiful way. 🙂
Thanks MJ as always you are very generous in your comments. Time will tell but its important i think to take it a day at a time. Best wishes.
Thanks Michael – and that is all I can and will do. And so we shall see 🙂