Young Writers Society

I woke this morning, and your name was splashed across the walls.

I woke this morning to find a bag of stones hanging heavy
from my chest.
Lodged between two lungs,
something dangerous, something wrong.
I went into the bathroom and cut it right out,
and painted over the mess you’d made of my walls!

I’ll have nothing to do with your name.
It sits in a book somewhere, on a cold and dusty shelf.
Any fool could poke through it and swipe the pages out for themselves.
Names and dates sprawled all over the damn thing, I think I’ll put you back.

My name is in an older book, on a dustier, dirtier shelf.
Too many names and dates in my book I’d rather not share.
Too many who read one page and set it right back down.
I’ll have it locked away, I’ll have it burnt and torn.
My name belongs to no one.

One last glance, before I send these pages to the flame:

All the names, all the names,
gone.

Wow, this is great!!! The opening line is brilliant and really gets the reader excited for the rest of the poem. I love this part

I woke this morning to find a bag of stones hanging heavy
from my chest.
Lodged between two lungs,

Its really graphic and makes you feel the pain. I also love this line

I went into the bathroom and cut it right out

for the same reasons. I also love the metaphor of the book which you don't just mention and flick aside, you keep it running through the whole poem, my only complaint about it would be that "cold, dusty shelf" ; its been done before- to me it just sounds a little cliche and I think you could come up with something a bit more ingenious I also love the finality of the line

My name belongs to no one.

It really resonates. Keep the great work up -Rachel. Oh and I LOVE your quote!