• HOME
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • SPONSORS
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Word Sonata

Words of note | Music of beautiful phrases

  • PERIODICALS
  • SITE
  • LINKS
Periodicals

The Sound of a Heart Breaking

Wednesday, 31 July 2019

Heartbreak
The piece below was written by Karen Kunawicz circa 1997.

Sometime in 2005, I was given a clipping of her column in The Manila Times where this article appeared and I have hung on to it ever since. This perfectly captures the angsty aesthetic so prevalent in my writing.

What is the sound of a heart breaking?

It is the sound of someone curled up in a tiny ball crying softly in the night, the sound of the first unwanted teardrop touching your skin, it’s the sound of a telephone that doesn’t ring, the sound of regret pounding inside your brain with every heartbeat, it’s the whispers of the toy animals he gave you.

It’s the shuffling of feet walking away from you, the sound of your soul shattering into a million pieces, at recognizing the word goodbye, it’s the soundtrack of memories torturing you, it’s the sound of your own feeble hands desperately trying to push back the hands of time, it’s the sound of all those years disappearing into the vortex of Cupid’s kitchen sink, it’s the unrelenting, plaintive baby meows of an abandoned kitten outside your door.

It’s the sound of the rain that has never ever stopped, of all the doors of the world shutting at the same time, of raging, howling storms in the night when there’s no one there to hold you, the sound of your voice as it screams back at you, the echo of ‘I love yous’ burning holes in you, the sound your heart makes as it tells you to lie still because nothing you will ever do will matter without love.

The sound of the waves at the polluted beach you went to as it moves from the shore and crashes inside your mind, of the sniffles that make up your pathetic ‘S.O.S. to the world,’ the cracking of the brittle black-red petals from the sidewalk vendor roses he gave, the sound of music he made going straight to your gut.

The sound of the things in your room being thrown around and landing on the floor, the caress of kitchen knives on skin, the sound your throat makes as it swallows your saltiest tear.

It’s the sound of your own voice calling out to someone who isn’t there, of dying birds getting splattered on a city pavement, of terms of endearment used a hundred times a day struggling to crawl into a vacuum of forgetfulness, it’s the sound of your own sobs keeping you company, it’s the cold, uncaring stillness of the air you share your space with.

Destruction isn’t always as noisy as bombs exploding. Sometimes the ultimate catastrophe can be as quiet as a feather falling on the floor of a Zen monastery.

No one else can really hear your heart breaking except you.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Related

Leave a Comment

« Welcome to Word Sonata

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Wordmistress

The Wordmistress

Shi is a multi-lingual published author, award-winning journalist, blogger, web savant, grad student and master home chef based in Muscat with her family. By trade, she is a finance advisor, international fitness coach and pro shopper. She loves books, movies, anime, fashion, unicorns, all things pink and rose gold, high tea and, of course, coffee! Please feel free to share some love ♥

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never Miss A Post

Our Host


Advertise here/sponsor a post

Colophon

Word Sonata is Shi's blog on quotable quotes from all media, in appreciation of the power of words and the music of beautiful phrases and sentences. There are visitors since 2 July 2019. Donations and sponsorships are welcome for site upkeep.

Twitter

My Tweets

Tumblr

Tags

angst heartbreak karen kunawicz love manila times social media welcome zerotohero

Archives

Disclosure

Affiliate links are used in some posts, from which a commission may be received from purchase. Reviews of products and businesses are based on the author's own experiences. Sponsor banners appear throughout this domain. Blog owner takes no responsibility for their website content.
It was always you. #valentines #love #quotes #art It was always you. #valentines #love #quotes #art #doors #pink #flowers #itwasalwaysyou
Live fully. Love deeply. #instaquotes #quotes #lif Live fully. Love deeply. #instaquotes #quotes #life #love #wordsofwisdom
She designed the life she loved. #quotes #women #f She designed the life she loved. #quotes #women #feminine #pink #bedifferent #instaquotes
You've got this! #motivation #quotes #inspiration You've got this! #motivation #quotes #inspiration
Read to visit new worlds. #quotes #instaquotes #r Read to visit new worlds. #quotes  #instaquotes #reading
Do whatever. Be weird. It's okay! #instaquotes #qu Do whatever. Be weird. It's okay! #instaquotes #quotes #bedifferent #innovate
© 2020 Shi · Privacy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy
Powered by Squidix ♥