The Maker The Charles Causley Literary Blog
This isn’t Home, by Sofia Stamtsi-dobson
Sofia won the joint-first place prize in the 12-15 years category in our 2022 Young People’s Poetry Competition.
hesitantly I saunter towards the door
rocks and pebbles screech under my feet
elegant flowers greet me, dancing in the wind
as I shiver, vines, appear, wrapping around my legs
only momentarily before they are gone
the door handle, two turns left and a gentle push
I take one step inside, fear envelops me
tubs of crystals and boxes of cigarettes lie on the floor
these packets of poison grin and giggle
my head turns to the left, mum is there
she smiles at me, with tears in her bright blue eyes
glass in her hair, her cheeks gashed, blood streaks on her face
my head wraps around reality and this memory dissipates
the voices are back, taunting me
daring me to look, take one quick glance
he sits in the darkened room, still, but menacing
an acrid miasma sits heavily in the air
he’s borrowed happiness from tomorrow, again.
this won’t dissipate, not today
a cacophony of voices, louder this time
the kitchen clock rewinds again and once more I am back there
she’s back, my favourite memory, but what follows is darkness
one last lesson is taught as the glass shatters
he stands over her, the blood and wine have become one
“you didn’t help, it is now too late”
the voices whispered
I return to what is now
without her this is not my home.
All that remains in this house is grief and sorrow.
And him