So the AMAZING Ashlynn Taylor sent me a PM a few days ago asking me to write a one-shot based on a poem she’d written. The poem is absolutely gorgeous, and I was (and still am) reluctant to write something that would take away from it. But I agreed to it, so here is what I came up with.
Here’s Ashlynn’s poem, first off. Isn’t it amazing?
Broken Pieces
Broken Love
Broken Soldeir
Broken Heart
Broken People
Broken City
Broken Lover
Give me Mercy
Merciful Lover
Loving Mercy
Come and Give Me
What My Heart Needs
Fufill My Needs
Hear My Cries
Save Me
Before I Die
Okay, so here’s what I came up with.
We Are the Broken
To the casual observer, (which she quickly realized also included her friends and family) everything in her life was perfect. The fact that she had everything any girl her age would want didn’t help how she felt in her heart.
She knew what to say, when to nod her head and laugh, but inside, Ashlynn had never felt more broken in her life.
She couldn’t place when she started feeling this way, but she knew it was killing her inside that no one saw the pain she hid every day. Her sparkling eyes looked alive, but she felt dead. Her laugh was beautiful and melodic, but so fake. Everything about her on the outside was fake, but she had to hide behind something. She once wished someone would see past her façade, but now she wasn’t even sure if that would happen.
Why didn’t her family and friends notice the small changes in her attitude? Surely they saw how she reacted to things. How she didn’t want to go out at night in the city that was as broken as she was. How she didn’t want to spend time with them much anymore, preferring the comfort and sanctuary of her quiet bedroom. How most nights the only thing hiding her sobs were loud songs purposefully being played so nobody would walk in on her tears.
But nobody noticed, and Ashlynn was beginning to lose hope that someone would.
Walking aimlessly through the lifeless park, she passed by the swings and sat. These swings used to give her so much happiness and joy when she was younger. When things were simpler and she actually spent time with her parents. They’d come every Saturday for a family picnic and spent the day together. That changed after the fighting started, and maybe that was a part of her depression. Swinging herself and thinking, she didn’t notice the shadow behind her until it spoke.
“Um, hi.” The shadow said, startling Ashlynn out of her thoughts. Turning around, she saw a boy about her age. Though she was alone in the park with him, she felt no fear. Fear doesn’t come easily when emotions are so hidden from others.
“Hey,” she said, her smooth voice sounding at ease and comfortable. It was the usual voice she used when she met new people. When she was trying to decide which version of herself she would present to them.
Taking this as permission to sit next to her, the boy chose the swing beside her. They were silent for a while. It was an odd silence, but not an uncomfortable one. It was like they didn’t need words to communicate. Ashlynn found herself looking at her new companion. He was looking at her too.
“You’re hurting.” He said suddenly. Ashlynn looked at him confused.
“What?” She asked.
“You try to play it off, but you’re dying on the inside. You wish someone would notice. I notice.” He replied.
Ashlynn was still confused, but also shocked. This person who has known her for five minutes saw that? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you do,” He insisted. “The only reason I know this is because I feel the same way.” He looked her in the eyes, and she got chills. Behind his smile, she saw the quiet desperation and pain he was hiding. She wondered if that’s what he saw too. “I pray for mercy all the time because as great as my life is, I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help it. I don’t even know why I feel this way.”
“I understand completely.” She found herself saying.
They lapsed into an easy conversation about everything and nothing. Ashlynn was surprised when her laughs were real, and so were the smiles. He looked surprised at himself too, but neither commented on it. Ashlynn found herself becoming comfortable in his presence, and told him everything about herself. He did the same. They laughed at each other’s comments, and cried with each sad story swapped.
When Ashlynn’s cell phone rang, she found herself reluctant to leave the park. Her mom would be “worried” about her.
“I’ve got to go,” she said sadly. In the few short hours she’d known this guy, he’d brought a genuine smile to her face, and she was thanking whoever was watching for his presence in her life when she needed it most.
“I should get going too,” he whispered, rising with her. “My name’s Joe by the way. Joe Jonas.”
Ashlynn was shocked. In the moonlight it was hard to see the details, but she made out his face. She’d been talking to a Jonas brother?
“A-ashlynn,” she stammered.
“Are you gonna get weird on me now that you know who I am?” He asked worriedly.
Ashlynn grinned. “Hun, I AM weird, but no, I won’t freak out. I just needed a minute to process. Your name doesn’t change who you are or how you feel.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” he said, walking closer to her. “Because if you were going to get weird on me I wouldn’t have been able to do this.” He closed the distance between them, and placed his lips on hers.
Those lips that had whispered encouraging words and stories about his life made her melt and she kissed him back hungrily.
They found out they weren’t broken, they were just two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly, but needed a nudge to find one another. They gave each other what their heart needed; love.
So what do you think? Did I ruin her poem completely? Comments welcomed!
