Run Through

Summary

The web content is a poetic reflection on the experience of childhood abuse, describing the emotional and psychological pain inflicted by another's malice.

Abstract

The poem "Run Through" by Kat Lehmkuhl uses vivid imagery to convey the deep trauma of childhood abuse. It depicts the emotional violence as a physical assault with a sword, symbolizing the lasting impact of hate and betrayal. The author describes the perpetrator's enjoyment of the victim's suffering, emphasizing the profound psychological scarring that can result from such abuse. The poem captures the intense pain and the indelible mark left by the abuser's cruelty, as well as the victim's enduring emotional wound.

Opinions

The poem suggests that the pain of emotional abuse is as real and tangible as physical injury.
The abuser's pleasure in causing pain is a central theme, highlighting the cruelty inherent in such actions.
The imagery of fire and blood conveys the intensity and violence of the emotional experience.
The poem implies that the scars of childhood abuse are deep and enduring, affecting the victim long after the abuse has ended.
The author's use of the sword as a metaphor for hate underscores the deliberate and targeted nature of the abuse.

About Childhood Abuse

Photo by: Timothy Eberly

You push the sword in Deeper still, The blade of hate Emblazoned, My initials Etched with fire In the metal.

I bleed, My blood hot, Red, thick And you smile, Your teeth jagged And glistening In the flames.

I can taste the evil Of your heart In the salt Of my tears. The pleasure in Your eyes Hurts me deeper Than any sword Could touch.

-Kat Lehmkuhl