This poem was written from a daily prompt hosted by DsubVerse on Twitter.  The title is the prompt word. ❤ See more frequent posts on Twitter (text only) and Instagram (with graphics).

I face you
with fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes.
Paralyzed,
I safeword.

© Greta Stone

 

Behind-The-Scenes

 

I wanted to use wrists in ropes as a metaphor. To me, it relates to being tongue-tied.

words tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes

From there, I thought about the reasons I might be tongue-tied. Flustered. Surprised. Afraid. I liked the idea of fear applying to both parts, being tongue-tied and being physically tied. I wouldn’t like to remain tongue-tied for long. So I thought about what I would do in play if, for whatever reason, I didn’t want my wrists tied anymore. I would safeword.

words tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes
and I
safeword

Echo on words. Plus words was too general and didn’t indicate fear.

fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes
and I
safeword

I knew I wanted to end with safewording. So to make the poem complete, I needed to start with an action.

[face an obstacle]
with fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes
and I
safeword

What would the obstacle be? If I’m tongue-tied, I’m interacting with someone. If I’m tongue-tied with fear, I think of those times when you have something to say or something you should say but are afraid to. The simplest way to put it is…

I face you
with fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes
and I
safeword

Now it feels a bit run-on. Instead of and I safeword, I feel like it needs one more thing to drive the point home, to really emphasize that feeling of being afraid to speak.

I face you
with fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes
[having no other option]
I safeword

I do some thesaurus searching for option, mute, trapped. Then I stumble across paralyzed and it’s perfect.

I face you
with fear tied
to my tongue
like wrists
in ropes.
Paralyzed,
I safeword.