Scratched the spot paint fell, nail head rusted
Pulled the the spike the nail busted
Drove another, wood gave way
Hole grew bigger, now a surgical display
Beam rotted, chewed by time's teeth
Leaving beneath an empty pulpy sheath
A wall disrobed, naked and bare
Skeleton decayed, bones to tear
Corrupted column revealed a bad tooth
When pulled, down came the roof
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Author:
sorenbarrett (
Offline) - Published: December 12th, 2025 03:35
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 108
- Users favorite of this poem: Teddy.15, Friendship, Tristan Robert Lange, Paul Bell
Offline)
Comments15
Oh dear, sounds like a very bad day at the dentist.. 🌹 fabulous imagery and emotion dearest sorrenbarret ouch 🌹
Thank you my friend for your kind review and words of encouragement. Be it building, surgeon, dentist sometimes small things reveal what lies beneath.
Yes, I totally agree, this could be relatable to everything, even to my own personal life journey at work in this moment. 🌹
I generally don't try to interpret poems to others. But your representation of how the attempted renovation of an old house revealed its weaknesses and ultimately destroyed it really resonated with me. When we did some changes to our first home (built very early in the nineteen hundres) it revealed the metal lath under the plaster - "A wall disrobed, naked and bare skeleton." We also encountered some surprises - "corrupted column revealed". I'm a very literal person. So, I apologize, if I've missed "the mark." I know there must be more to your poem than that. Needless to say, I enjoyed your poem.
Thank you so much for your review and relating to it. To me there is no wrong interpretation of a poem, it is different to each person. I appreciate your read and am glad that it resonated in some way.
Been there - squatting was never romantic or easy.
Thanks for the review Dave I appreciate the company
Cheers Soren - took me right back.
One of my favorites is well-written, illustrating the cycle of life and how we slowly decay.
Your poem "The Mark" revolves around decay, deterioration, and the consequences of neglect over time. It metaphorically explores how structural decay—represented by a rotting beam and a disintegrating wall—mirrors the inevitable decline of human constructs and perhaps even human life. The poet delves into physical decay, using the imagery of a house falling apart to evoke deeper themes of vulnerability, loss, and the fragility of existence.
Thank you so much Friendship for the read and interpretation it is most appreciated,
My friend, this is sharp and unsettling…the careful probing, the hidden rot, the moment where fixing becomes unraveling. The ending drops like the roof itself. Powerful work, Soren. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Thank you Tristan for the review and kind words of encouragement they are deeply valued.
KP's kennel is like that. I keep her in it, while Fido has a fur-lined kennel with carpet, and every luxury. lol.
Thanks so much Orchi I appreciate your read and feel sorry for KP but that is why I don't pick scabs
This reminds me of certain delightful cursed poets of the 19th century !
Thanks Lorenz for the read and comment it is appreciated
Sounds like my old shed.
It just needs stabilising, couple of nails here and there.
Then it fell down because there was an earthquake ten thousand miles away.
Thanks so much Paul for the read and comment it is most valued
Time and nature have a funny way of taking back what we took from them.... And aren't we all falling apart? All it takes is one tug on the roof!
Thank you NinjaGirl for the read and comment. Yes we all deteriorate it is the law of entropy and we can only repair things for so long.
Awesome writing!
Thoroughly enjoyed - Syd
Thank you so much it is most appreciated and valued
Marked, time stamped and pinged… something like digital rot with a worldwide witness 🙏🏻🕊🌷🤩
Thank you so much Cryptic your read and comment is most appreciated my friend
Most welcome, Soren.🙏🏻🕊️
So much for DIY. So many Interpretations here.
Good one.
Thanks so much Kevin. I appreciate your review and support. Yes indeed there could be.
micro epic... escalating from scratch to collapse. Every line is an incision.
Thanks so much for your read and supportive words of encouragement they are most valued
Oops! LOL
Andy
Thanks Gold these things happen in a world of entropy. Appreciate the read
decay and deterioration are so vividly described - one can feel the pain and despair that went along with it... a raw and beautiful poem
Thanks so much Nafisa for the review and comment it is most appreciated and deeply valued
you write so well and straight from the heart - keep them coming..
Thank you
welcome...
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