Father, as immoveable
as a mountain
taught us to orchestrate
submontane routes
Circumnavigating
his rocky moods
bestowed upon us
a fear of masculinity
Resilience instilled
the necessity of mining
gold from darkness:
still digging.
(Sketch mine)
One Woman's Quest 
I don’t know if it was intentional but the left side of the drawing looks like mangled bodies and the right I can see a cruel face and raised hand. Your words match what I’m seeing.
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Thanks Susi. I created each piece separately, but the bodies in the mountains has haunted me. Thought it was a good fit. The subconscious is a wonderful thing.
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You’re welcome, VJ. ((hugs)) Definitely
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That’s a long dig for sure, the scars of patriarchy even or especially when it is family.
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Yes. Well said. Thanks.
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Very welcome VJ
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I agree with the other commenters the metaphor works well. I love your detailed sketch.
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Thanks so much, Eugi!
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My pleasure!
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Some lessons do come handy, other seem so futile! The metaphor works very well.
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Thank you, and I agree. Much of dysfunctional upbringing gives us a warp sense of self and world.
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So it does. You are welcome, V.J.
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I agree with your other commenters about the mountain metaphor, particularly as it leads into the last stanza.
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Thanks Liz
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You’re welcome, V.J.
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Love your metaphor of man and mountain!
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Thanks Betty – an immoveable force, lol
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Metaphor works really well in this poem!
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Thanks Heather
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Welcome.
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