Raging
my daughter called me a whore

The river churns furiously over the dam,
water from spillways funneling in,
joining the raging rampage,
flotsam and jetsam pulled under,
a leaf breaking free here,
jumbled twigs slamming into the crevice
between the rocks.
Gone are the clear waters,
muddy brown scrim scumming into stagnant spaces,
those low places where nothing appears to happen
while fecund fungus and bacteria
devour flesh from carcasses,
crapping out everything they don't need,
filthy fluorescence of fickle fiends
flung back into the irresistible force,
forcing themselves back into the equation,
screaming,
I will not live in a puddle.
About the Creator
Harper Lewis
I'm a weirdo nerd who’s extremely subversive. I like rocks, incense, and witchy stuff. Intrusive rhyme bothers me. Some of my fiction might have provoked divorce proceedings in another state.😈
MA English literature, College of Charleston
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented



Comments (4)
Fickle fiends! Lesson on making art from obvious pain.
The power in this and the depth is so real I really felt "I will not live in a puddle." Wow 💜
🌼A one-minute read, yet you packed in such immense depth; your restraint was incredible. The slithering, scanting sibilance of your prose, especially in the phrase "scrim scumming into stagnant spaces," provided the perfect anchor. It allowed me to see that while you said a lot, you managed to wash the sentiment away without ever losing your balance on those rocks.
This was way.more eloquent than I expected. Given the context. Stunning imagery. Sorry you were treated that way.