Thursday, December 3, 2009

55-glass house

they say
people in glass houses
should not
throw stones...

that maybe
if you try to shatter
someone's house
yours might
get broke
instead...

but maybe
then people would
see the one who
throws stones
in the first
place.

i wish
the walls of my broken house
were made of
glass...

then you would see...

Tell a story in 55 words. Give it a try or just read more, go see g-man.

This one is for all the kids that hide behind couches and need a friend to see...

90 comments:

Jasmine said...

City living leaves people so on top of each other that they all want to be hermits living like a crab disappearing under a shell a behind a rock... It we would be nice if we opened our eyes and actually saw each other.

Chef Kar said...

Poignant ~ touching ~ real ~ raw. Another gem Brian. Thank you for sharing and always for the caring.

Thanks for coming by my place and leaving such a nice and insightful comment my friend.

~Karis

Friday Flash 55 ~ Sobering 55

Pat said...

Food for thought. :)

Susan at Stony River said...

What a wonderful take on that old saying--and it leaves the imagination spinning. I really love this.

Susan

blueviolet said...

I don't think on either end of it would I want to have a glass house. I prefer to remain unseen.

Wings said...

Deep piece there, Brian.

Tall Kay said...

I hope this is fiction Brian. You always come across with such a powerful message. Brilliant 55!

Dianne said...

Wow, I can read this poem like the back of my hand. So many levels.
Thank you, I don't know if my 55 is ready yet but keep in touch. Thanks for visiting, I'm glad you loved the gift of art, I am most fond of that poem myself.
Dianne

darsden said...

Hey Brian just stopping by to show you the rocks I picked up ... ;-) good to see you

Ms Hen said...

very nice.. being exposed so others can see..

Alice Audrey said...

Imagine seeing the kids with rocks coming straight for you house, and not being able to do anything.

Roxy said...

Wow! This is so real, so honest. Thanks for sharing!

willow said...

I was one of those kids behind the couch. Powerful piece, Brian.

G-Man said...

Isn't blogging wonderful Brian?
What a catharsis!
Excellent 55 My Friend.
You sure can write your ass off son...Wow!
Thanks for being so supportive of the other contributors as well.
Have a Wonderfrul Week-End...G

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Sad and wonderful, Brian. Thank you!

Mine's up. Have a lovely weekend. I'll be keeping three little people, ages 9 mos, 3 yrs, and 4 yrs. Needless to say, I won't be around Blogsville very much!

otin said...

When I was a young boy, I hid behind couches. I was not abused or spanked, but my parents were battling daily and I was afraid of all of the yelling. Seems that there are a lot of reasons to hide. Very Good!!!!

Pseudonymous High School Teacher said...

Working in a high school, I see a lot of stone throwing.

Kathleen said...

You tell it, brother! We're as sick as our secrets, eh?
Well done!

Bubbie said...

Another good one. I agree totally with G-man's comments. Will reread again. . .

Felicitas said...

If everyone was willing to be open and vulnerable - no one really would be... I love your take on life and how you always make me think! Wonderful 55!

Dianne said...

Mine is up

Janna said...

Very true!

So much goes on behind closed doors... so much that really shouldn't.

Excellent 55.

Mine is ready, too... right HERE.

smiles4u said...

This is really good Brian. You give me lots to think about with this. I remember hiding under my bed or in my closet and I do remember wishing someone would see what the hell was going on. Everyone really needs to put down their stones...

Sandi McBride said...

Well thought out and presented Brian. You are a poet in your soul, aren't you?
Sandi

Ronda Laveen said...

Yes, in many instances transparency is worth a life, literally and figureatively.

Cabo said...

"This one is for all the kids that hide behind couches and need a friend to see... "

That's pretty powerful, bud. Well said.

Lisa (aka LadyWanderlust) said...

A man with insight, a view into the human spirit....a view into what makes us tick. Cheers, Lisa

Joanna Jenkins said...

Great job on the 55 Brian. I know I keep saying that, but-- Great job!
jj

JML said...

If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone.

I'd say especially if we live in houses of glass.

Good post!

enchantedoak said...

An absolutely heart-wrenching 55, Brian. But then again I just came from the Walking Man's blog and my heart is hurting. I think I'll go eat some leftover cranberries and think serenity for a while.

ds said...

Very nice--and so true from a kid's perspective.
Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving such nice words behind.

Alix said...

Oh man, Brian. I really love this one. Glass, stones, brokenness, and clarity. You got a lot in, in only 55 words.

anthonynorth said...

That was so very deep and in a way disturbing. Excellently done.

Protege said...

A very contemplative one today. A bit sad too, but very poignant and well written as always.
Have a lovely Friday,
Zuzana
:)

Cinnamon said...

very powerful. i think of the tragic cases like Victoria Climbie and Baby P and know that it is still going on now in other homes.

Goofball said...

I agree

Shadow said...

a wonderful perspective you have...

tony said...

Smashing!

Lorraine said...

Your last line brought it home for me, thanks Brian :)
and I LOVE CHEF KAR's COMMENT :)

Dr.John said...

Wow! What a powerful 55.

kys said...

I wouldn't want to live in a glass house. I'll try to stop throwing the rocks.

Susan Anderson said...

It's funny how you and www.momsjournal.org hit with mine this week. I'm seeing similar themes. Great minds I guess. I'm up and I'm serving a little bit of full disclosure this week. See you next week!

the walking man said...

The fear adults put in children be recompensed a thousand fold as those children age.

Betsy said...

Hmmm...can relate to this. Willow used to pull me behind the couch!

clean and crazy said...

this is sad and sweet, i used to hide too. mine is up this week, was too busy last week to post!!

Kate Hanley said...

Wonderful take on Glass Houses. Make me think (yet again). have a great weekend.

Nessa said...

You bring up a very interesting concept with your 55 this week.

Flash 55 - Love

Jessie said...

this is very powerful and extremely well said!

warm smiles,

TechnoBabe said...

That's why I am looking out the windows all the time, on the lookout for those stone throwers!

buffalodick said...

"Let ye without guilt throw the first stone" is where I think that came from..

Travel & Dive Girl said...

Very touching. Thanks!

Meeko Fabulous said...

It sad that we don't recognize a child's cry for help sometimes. As always, your 55 words are like a picture, it speaks 1,000 words! Have a good weekend! :)

Daniel said...

I'm a stone thrower from way back. Trying to do better. It takes a lot of effort and patience to overcome our problem areas.

Mom of Opiate Addict said...

Really well said! Great 55 and it would be nice if things could be a bit more transparent in the world. Mine is up.

Mona said...

this is really very poignant...full of craving!

Monkey Man said...

Great perspective. My 55 is HERE.

sarah said...

wow Brian. this is awesome. Sarah. mine's up.

Akelamalu said...

There are lots of children who wish they lived in glass houses, then maybe they would get the help they need. A very 'real life' 55 Brian.

Donnetta Lee said...

Hi, Brian: I know a bunch of those kiddos. Probably used to be one. Good thoughts. D

Hootin' Anni said...

Wow Brian....I'm thrilled to be part of this 55...just reading it, and wishing that we all could see. Y'know what I mean? Love this. Poignant.

ivan@creativewriting.ca said...

Hello.

Excellent 55, and a poem worth publishing in a prestigious mag like Atlantic or Harper's.

staceyjwarner said...

so fun, that was a good one!

much love

Rain said...

Wonderful post Brian. This touches me very deeply, well done.

Maggie May said...

I'm glad that I don't live in a glass house. The locals would probably throw stones.........

Nuts in May

Dulce said...

wow Well. Poignant at its best... great 55- You astound me every week, man!

Thom said...

Wow...this is powerful. And a great take on that saying. I so hope this is just fiction my friend. Well done. Have a wonderful weekend :)

Akannie said...

I think I'm starting to "see"...

Nice one, Brian! Thanks for stopping by my blog...I'd gladly send you some snow....

Madame DeFarge said...

I liked this very much. But I like my house to have very thick walls, even if they seem suspiciously thin in places.

lakeviewer said...

Yeah. Keep your stones in your pocket. Think of the harm.

Prayer Girl said...

There are so many invisible people out there in this world.

I pray God helps me see them without anyone having to throw anything at anything.

PG

McGillicutty said...

This is quite frankly gut wrenching...if I'm getting the message.
Love it...

Fandango said...

We dragons live in caves on our own, never in glass houses.
But we do like what your sayng here.
Good 55

Jen Chandler said...

Wow, Brian. That was so very thought provoking and moving. I'll be thinking about that one for a long time.

Connie said...

I like this 55. Good one.

Bachelor said...

Hi Brian....
Hope you have a great weekend...you Mr. Freelance writer...good job!
The Bach

tattytiara said...

If I lived in a glass house I'm pretty sure the windows would all be too dirty to see through anyway. Darn sure I wouldn't keep any stones lying around.

Captain Dumbass said...

Nice piece. Imagine the Windex you'd go through if you lived in a glass house.

Nancy said...

Great job! - and then you would see...

Eternally Distracted said...

I wish I was that clever. I'll leave it to the experts :0)

Lou said...

I learned the hard way not to throw stones..I guess it is called Life. It humbled me, and made me a better person.

swapnap said...

Wonderful and some deep thoughts here..it touched and moved me with the sound of earnestness.I could identify well with that. Thank YOu for sharing and have a great weekend.

hope said...

I like when 55s make me think... twice.

Nicely done!

Eaton Bennett said...

Excellent 55! I wonder why it is that sometimes we want people to see into us like looking through glass and other times, look to hide ourselves in the deepest, darkest parts of ourselves!

Who would ever have thought 55 words could be so intense, alive and revealing. Nice Work. :)

Petra said...

Your poem, Brian, has made me think. Moreover, a few minutes ago I opened a book by Agatha Christie and came across the following thought there: "I mean, said Miss Marple, that so many people seem to me not to be either bad or good, but simply, you know, very silly." ... It's like with these people throwing stones in glass houses and shattering other's houses. Maybe they are not always bad, maybe they are more often simply silly...
Thanks for your comment on my blog. Petra

Candie Bracci said...

Wow!That one is really powerful!Really liked it!

...mmm... said...

Another beautifully written post. Very touching in fact. We do see you through your select words.

Susan said...

WOW! What a fabulous thought...
Powerful.

Ben said...

I love your poem! Really cool metaphor. I love the contrast of self-reflection and fragility.

MIke Kilgore said...

Very powerful 55 Brian-keep up the great work! Thanks for stopping by my place, too.

Kay said...

oh...you are good.... :)