“The Trunk” published at Gobblers & Masticadores

On By Mike U.In Poetry

I’d like to announce my poem “The Trunk” has been published at Gobblers & Masticadores. Many thanks to Juan Re Crivello and Manuela Timofte and their staff for this opportunity to share my poetry with their readers. I’m sincerely grateful. Thank you, Juan and Manuela!

“The Trunk”
(c) 2021 by Michael L. Utley

“There is a place for things
That don’t belong in
Other places
That sere and weathered
Trunk that hunkers lupine-like
Amid dust-addled attic shadows
Wood split and gouged
With time and neglect
Iron bands and fittings
A crumble of rust
Lockless clasp broken
From endless breeches
And pryings
I should have
Replaced that lock
Eons ago…”

You can read the rest of my poem by clicking this link. Also, don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Gobblers & Masticadores, where you’ll find some wonderful writing and plenty of food for thought.

44 thoughts on ““The Trunk” published at Gobblers & Masticadores”

  4. Behind every word I could feel the buildup of frustration. So relatable, the inner fight never ends. I’m thankful for everything you write because I know I am not alone in my own struggles. Keep on writing, fighting, delighting… 😊

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. very thought provoking poem Mikey..had me considering what I treasure for all the wrong reasons, and what I refuse to truly address. The trunk holds the good and the bad for me. I also left a comment on Masticadores.

      wonderful poetry as always my friend. 🙏💪

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    2. Thank you, Michelle, my friend. It truly is comforting to know we’re not alone. I sometimes have an inner struggle with myself about whether I should hit that Publish button because I write such dark stuff, but part of me realizes it’s a way to let others know they’re not alone. When we hurt, sometimes the pain is alleviated just a little when we know others are going through something similar. There’s solidarity, a human connection, and we can share compassion, knowing we have a little bit of understanding with regards to our common human pain. I know what it’s like to feel alone, and I don’t want anyone else to experience that emptiness. 

      I appreciate you. Michelle. Your friendship means the world to me. Thanks so much for your kindness. 😊

      Like

      Reply

  5. Left a comment over there, Mike!! Very nice on this, it felt like the same trepidation of chillie willies I get when I’m going through old trunks/treasure chests. Mine are usually small so I don’t buildup too much “my precious-es.” I always have an air of anxiety but hope when I open the box. I felt this same mentality reading this. Honestly, I got a bit of a sense of Poe in “Tell-Tale Heart” when he was trying to close the trunk and pop on top of the floorboards !!!. I enjoyed it very much, Mike. I really like the direction your writing and what you’ve been sharing with us has taken, my friend 😄👏

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Sam. ”The Tell-tale Heart” was my first experience with Poe. I think it was in junior high–a reading assignment–and what a cool story to be “forced” to read by my English teacher. I dig dark imagery and writing about things most people probably don’t want to consciously ponder, so Poe’s work is right up my alley. I’m pretty sure we all have a trunk like the one in this poem, and its contents are probably a mixed bag of regret, shame, guilt, happiness, etc. It’s hard to sort though a lifetime of stuff, but if we don’t, we suffer in the end. 

      Thanks for your kind words, my friend. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I gotta agree, but it’s worth it all the same going through those trunks. Lots of highlights, memories that seem so distant, and broken junk that don’t mean it’s junk but don’t let the junk compile so heavily. I always think of “Diggin’ Up Bones” by Randy Travis when I’m doing the dance with the buildup of my precious-es and broken junk. Usually playing it too, haha. Spring Cleaning is around the Corner, anyways!! I wait until NC hits only 80s and above, then I start the decluttering process. I’m drowning in my secondhand resource decor and t-shirts galore. The t-shirts process always scares me bc those of my livelihood and joys, though the process must commit… Anyways, wonderful piece, my Friend!! 😄😊😌

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Kindest thanks, Lauren. Yeah, we all have cluttered attics and there’s inevitably a rather sinister dusty trunk in the corner that needs sorting. It takes courage to pry open the lid and look inside, but how else can we move on in our lives if we cling to things we need to throw away? Bad memories, regrets, guilt, shame…all of it lingers unless we deal with it at some point.

      Thanks for your stalwart support, my friend. I appreciate you. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. rajkkhoja's avatar rajkkhoja

        Nice you give me good news the skies are clear and blue, and everything is green again. Good times. Iam so…so happy my dear friend. Tack care. God blessing!

        Liked by 2 people

  14. Congratulations, Mike! A beautiful execution of a haunting idea! Another one of your masterpieces. ✨️🤩 I find trunks scary and prefer them to stay locked, unrattled, and forgotten.😪

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Aaysid. I agree about those trunks–I’d like to forget they exist if possible, but alas, l end up digging through them, trying to figure out my life. At least poetry is a result, even if it’s dark poetry. Perhaps eventually I can just recycle the claptrap thing and get rid of it once and for all. 😄

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  15. Mike, congratulations on another published poem! Well deserved! I love the trunk analogy of all those things we hide away but can’t really let go of or forget, we can’t keep it under lock and key.

    We continue returning to the trunk even though we don’t want to. A well crafted poem that most of us can relate to.

    Bravo, my friend!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Peggy. Fortunately, my real-life trunk isn’t as sinister as the one in my head–it’s just filled with books! That mind-trunk, however… I’m still digging through it after all these years, trying to sort it out and get rid of what I shouldn’t hold onto. Writing helps a lot. It allows me to handle one thing at a time and hopefully find a way to deal with stuff more easily.

      Thanks for your kind support as always, my friend. It’s always a delight to see you stop by to say hello. 😊

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

Leave a comment