Incremental Poetry ~ 42 Lines

Vulnerability

Don’t be evasive
with your response—
I’m quite persuasive,
though you ensconce
what you are thinking
for the nonce.*

So tell me truly,
what’s on your mind?
Are you unduly
bound tongue to bind?
Though silence keeping,
I am not blind.

I see the battle
behind your eyes.
Your pupils tattle—
they tell no lies,
while lips, denying,
speak words unwise.

Beware—the vigor
you feel inside
will turn to rigor
if left to hide
in silence, feeding
on foolish pride.

I am no stranger,
but one you trust;
you’re not in danger,
but if I must
give you some space, then,
I will adjust.

Please end this trial
that rips apart,
and quit denial—
instead, now chart
a new course, leading
to brand new start.

And we will weather
the fiercest flood,
standing together,
more sure than blood— 
for I’m your wall,
and you’re my stud.

Copyright © 2019 Abigail Gronway – All Rights Reserved

*for the time being

Welcome to my series, Incremental Poetry, where each week the featured poem will be one line longer than the one I share the week before. I have no idea how long I’ll keep this up, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Thank you for stopping by.

Scansion:
The Stephens
patterned after “The Watcher” by English poet James Stephens (1882-1950)
stanzaic, written in any number of sestets (the original has five)
accentual: dimeter
rhymed: ababxb cdcdxd, etc., with x being unrhymed
composed with feminine rhymes on the odd lines and masculine rhymes on the even lines