Behind Vacant Eyes

Posted on October 16, 2021 by

69 Comments

“Understand me. I’m not like an ordinary world. I have my madness, I live in another dimension and I do not have time for things that have no soul.” 

― Charles Bukowski

To the outer world she is gone- 
Bat-shit crazy, delusional, lost
Defeated, lonesome, alone
Her heart concealed in hoarfrost

But behind her black vacant eyes 
A teeming wilderness thrives
For here inside feral things survive
Roaming free to flourish, be alive
Away from the world’s deceptive lies

©2021 Linda Lee Lyberg

Written for The Sunday Muse #182

Author’s Note: dVerse Poets Pub: OLN I am hosting Open Link Night at dVerse- Join us at 3PM EST Oct. 28th!

Linda Lee Lyberg is a wife, mother, artist, published poet and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband Pete (aka The Big Viking) of 24 years and their latest rescue, Jackson “Jax” Lyberg. Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories. You can read more of her works at: charmedchaos.com and view anthologies containing her work here: Amazon Author Page

Category: PoetryTags: , ,

69 Comments on “Behind Vacant Eyes”

  4. Behind her eyes, a wilderness thrives….I love that. People I have known who are considered mad, seem to me to be far closer to the truth than we supposedly normal mortals ever get. I always listen to what they have to say.

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  5. Linda, first off, I love the Buk quote. When he speaks, I listen. I love how you spun the image and the light and shadows between the stanzas or is that vice versa.

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  6. ‘Roaming free to flourish, be alive
    Away from the world’s deceptive lies’ – in many ways a saner way to be. So well crafted Linda.

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  8. Pingback: Behind Vacant Eyes – Nelsapy

  14. This poem, and the Bukowski quote, really speak to me, Linda:

    ‘But behind her black vacant eyes
    A teeming wilderness thrives’

    It’s perhaps a better place than this world, with all its lies.

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  16. I recall reading this, can’t fathom why I didn’t sing its praise back then, but please know that I’m doing so now with great enthusiasm. And the photo…wowza perfect accompaniment. And thanks for hosting the OLN!

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  17. Despite the world’s misunderstanding, her strength is so obviously in her firm refusal to be dominated by the world’s lies, feral, yes, but only because she is free. Beautifully woven, Linda.
    pax,
    dora

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  19. You know I love all things Bukowski. This a powerful, sorrowful yet hopeful blast across the bow. “We all need a little madness. How else can we cut the rope and be free?”–from ZORBA. I read this thrice, and I found deep emotions jammed between the lines.

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  26. Behind her vacant stare is the survival of the wild. It makes me sad, that even one human, must conceive living in this way

    Thanks for dropping by my blog

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  27. Oh my goodness, everyone’s poems are so dark this week! (Mine too, tbc) What is going on–I just want to get everyone in a big poetic group hug!

    Liked by 1 person

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