42 Comments
User's avatar
AËLA's avatar

They wear borrowed faces

because their own

never felt like enough

in the light.

The dark

was never their enemy.

It was the only place

they didn't have to prove

who they were supposed to be.

— AËLA

Night Cracks's avatar

Only in the light one may discover what they're missing. It's not easy. It's painful. But it's still so unbelievably better than the alternative. Thank you for a thoughtful comment, AELA 💙

Shadow Pursuit's avatar

damn 👏

Gub's avatar

The ending is so sad yet beautiful and it sounds like you speak of prostitution - a poem about such you pull off elegantly and there are a lot of beautiful lines in here creating mood through emotional imagery.

Night Cracks's avatar

I think you'd need to be a young man who starts noticing the beauty of feminity and how distant it seems to understand it. The discovery that women are not interested back is such a one of a kind feeling. It's heartbreaking and may turn into bitterness or something far worse. My poem ends here, but... this feeling may push you way above your own limitations.

Gub's avatar

Ohhh yesss thank you for the clarification. The picture you chose makes more sense now too.

nina's avatar

“the pretty girls with

their pink poetry,”

A poem about pink that turns out to be a dark night. And I’m not surprised.

I’m keeping this. 🩷

Also, the streetlights revealing the versions people try to be—pretty and accurate.

Night Cracks's avatar

Thank you, pink poetress 🩷

Untamed Eulogy's avatar

You’ve captured that specific, heavy late-night loneliness so perfectly.transition from the cold reality of cheap beer and pennies to the intellectual shield of Tarantino and Lynch is brilliant. Fantastic piece 🤍🖤

Night Cracks's avatar

Thank you, Ashu 🖤

Have you ever been that unreachable muse to someone?

Untamed Eulogy's avatar

Perhaps, but I honestly don't know. I do know the other side of it, though I’ve definitely turned someone into a muse in my own poems. I guess half the time we just invent the people we write about anyway, right?

Night Cracks's avatar

That's very true. Another thought of yours that won't leave me at peace (that's a good thing 🖤.)

Kasu (small wounds)'s avatar

Absolutely love this.

Love all the movie references. And love Blade Runner 2049.

Night Cracks's avatar

Thank you, Kasu 🖤

Ever borrowed a face from a movie?

Wendy Russell's avatar

"Moth-grey of their souls" is one of those lines that lodged itself in my brain. Beautiful image.

Night Cracks's avatar

🖤🖤🖤

🐠🌊ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ʙᴇɪɴɢ's avatar

At least they have beer🍺

Night Cracks's avatar

🤣🤣🤣

Thank you for ruining my day :)

I guess a 15 year old relationship and 3 kids vs a cold beer…

🐠🌊ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ʙᴇɪɴɢ's avatar

If you ask me I'd take the beer 😂😂 Beer doesn't ask you to take out the trash. 🍺

Night Cracks's avatar

I don't think you can get lucky with a beer.

And kiddos are away for a weekend with their grandparents, so... 😅

🐠🌊ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ʙᴇɪɴɢ's avatar

That's what the rose 🌹 or the rabbit 🐰 is for

Night Cracks's avatar

Yeah. Or a free evening with wife :)

🐠🌊ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ʙᴇɪɴɢ's avatar

I guess you can drink while they are being sitted 🤔🤔🤔

The Poetry Moth's avatar

Wow!! Love this!!

kajal's avatar

Omgg this is so well written you captured the late night loneliness, alienation and desperation to be someone else so well!

Night Cracks's avatar

I'll assume it applies to girls too? I still remember how it hurt when I was a teenager.

kajal's avatar

Yeah definitely, it's a pretty universal feeling.

Diana Shah ✦'s avatar

“Wearing borrowed faces” really touched me. Beautiful piece.

Night Cracks's avatar

We all miss youth, and forget how requiring it was. Thank you, Diana 💛

Keiichiro Iwamoto's avatar

Good evening, Damien. I am no longer at an age where I would be called young, but strangely enough, it feels like the question of who I am has still never completely come to an end. 😇

Night Cracks's avatar

Good morning (where I live), Keiichiro. It's Chris actually, but I don't mind since Damien is my good bud here and you might see us together here rather often :)

Don't let anyone (including yourself) dictate the criteria of youth. I've met people in their 80's who seemed younger than some 20yo grumpy shrooms. You can be anyone 🖤 Just trust yourself.

Anomie's avatar

“Wearing borrowed faces” excellent as ever 🖤

Night Cracks's avatar

Thank you, queen 💚

T.F. Burke watcher of tv's avatar

Great write!👏😎

Night Cracks's avatar

🖤🖤🖤

Cedric's avatar

Nice poem that has a thematic undercurrent of wanting to be someone else, but not being able to.

Night Cracks's avatar

It is indeed. Thank you, Cedric 🖤