Shatterproof Poem by Agnidhra Ghosh

The glass falls from your hand when you hear him scream,
But it fails to break. Perhaps, like you, it is immune.
Not young enough now to be scared of sticks and stones,
And words never did scathe you.

Sounds of continued anger from the next room over,
Yet more screaming and breaking and unchained fury,
Years of work undone in moments,
But it's ceased to amaze you.

For now slammed doors and broken vases,
Perhaps later cleanup and repentance from a broken man,
For now you're past the point of caring,
It doesn't in the least faze you.

Going along trying to hide the hurt,
The angry red welts that run across your back,
All of which you try to faithfully ignore,
But even the best walls have flaws.

You bend gingerly, retrieve, and place it on the table,
The light glints off the cracks in the unbroken glass,
Just a small step from falling apart totally,
But then again, perhaps, like you, it is shatterproof.