One-Size Fits All
"One-Size Fits All"
The invoice promised a universal match,
but it balances stilted on the skull
—a rigid piece of factory hardware
refusing to contour to actual bone.
It snags on the unbrushed margins of the mind,
trapping erratic, stray impulses
against its cold, unyielding curve.
There are no adjustment screws for the soul.
Down it slips, an assembly-line visor,
casting a fierce, synthetic glare
that burns the eyes instead of clearing the view.
A localized eclipse.
Still, the walk continues,
accompanied by the hollow chatter of cheap tin
vibrating with every uneven stride.
It wobbles like a spun token on a countertop,
caught forever between currency and junk.
And in quiet intervals,
beneath bright, flaking laminate,
metal aches with a heavy, dull recall
— mourning specific, deliberate fire
that never got to forge it.
.
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Author:
crypticbard (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: June 25th, 2026 05:24
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 13
- Users favorite of this poem: Friendship, sorenbarrett, Tristan Robert Lange
- In collections: throwback.
Offline)
Comments7
another good one friend
Thanks dear friend 🙏🏻🕊️
most welcome
Well written. Your poem revolves around the metaphor of a poorly fitting, factory-produced item (represented by a visor or helmet) that symbolizes societal norms and expectations. The poem delves into the emotional and psychological impact of being forced into a mold that does not suit one's true self. I must say been there so many times, I must have the biggest head in the world😊
Many thanks Friendship 🙏🕊️
Thanks for the Fave @ Friendship 🙏🕊️
Innovative, creative most original. This poem fell over my head, passing my eyes temporarily blinding me till reaching my nose it stopped my breathing, slipping further it took my speech and now around my chest and arms constrains me from explaining it fully. It has some wonderful images that turn metaphor like blooming flowers. Worst of all it makes a good deal of sense keeping one from calling it surreal. Man's crown his soul slips from time to time. A fave my friend
That’s a most substantial review dear Soren 🙏🏻🕊️
I blew a fuse with this crypticness. That only leaves me 2 brain cells for now! lol.
Stuff that pushes people toward conspiracy theory. 🙏🏻🕊️
Arqios, what struck me most is how completely you sustain the central metaphor...from the ill-fitting hardware to the "assembly-line visor," and finally to metal mourning "specific, deliberate fire." Every image reinforces the same quiet truth without ever feeling repetitive. A powerful meditation on identity, individuality, and the cost of being forced into a one-size-fits-all world. Beautifully written, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
It can feel like a plague, very subtle; very insidious. 🙏🏻🕊️
Fine words Rik, that one size is a farce in many ways.
Andy
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