Pain of beauty

General Poetry Human Written by Suvarnna36 · Apr 15, 2026

The heart of a girl
It is now cold and lost
the void breeze of stillness
embraced her soul with agony
Even then, she gave a smile
a smile of spilling clouds

She was born beautiful
But left the world with bruises
It was from the ugly love
The love of trait and vile

Her beauty, praised by lords
Became a curse that gave her scars
They now looked at her with a gaze
The gaze of a wolf, sharpening its claws

People with gifts and thirsty lust
Took her away and summoned a bait
They sold her person to person
And they paid the price
For the tears that fell from her eyes

People who applauded her
Touch her with no mercy
She screamed for blue skies
But rust kept her tongue tied

About This Poem

I devote this poem to women who faced sexual abuse from their own mentors and close ones, but were never able to speak up for their own dignity.

How did this poem make you feel?

Community Score

—

out of 10

0 votes

Optional AI-generated literary feedback.

Poem Analysis

This analysis is provided as optional literary feedback. Community voting remains the primary ranking method.

Analysis Available

The poem explores the tragic life of a girl whose beauty becomes her downfall, highlighting themes of exploitation and lost innocence. It employs vivid imagery and a somber tone to convey the emotional weight of her experiences. While it effectively captures the sorrowful narrative, some structural and linguistic choices could be refined for greater impact.

Strengths

The poem uses vivid imagery, such as 'a smile of spilling clouds' (line 6), to convey complex emotions.
The metaphor 'The gaze of a wolf, sharpening its claws' (line 12) effectively illustrates predatory behavior.
The theme of beauty as both a blessing and a curse is poignantly explored through lines like 'Her beauty, praised by lords / Became a curse that gave her scars' (lines 9-10).

Areas for Improvement

The poem's structure lacks consistency, with uneven line lengths and stanza breaks that disrupt the flow.
Some phrases, such as 'the void breeze of stillness' (line 3), feel awkward and could be more precisely articulated.

Imagery

The poem employs strong visual language, using metaphors like 'a smile of spilling clouds' to evoke a sense of fragile hope amidst despair. The 'gaze of a wolf' metaphor is particularly effective in illustrating the predatory nature of those who exploit the girl. Sensory details are somewhat limited, focusing more on visual and emotional imagery rather than incorporating other senses.

Structure

The poem lacks a consistent form or rhyme scheme, which can detract from its overall cohesion. The line breaks and stanza organization feel arbitrary at times, which may disrupt the reader's engagement. The poem could benefit from a more deliberate structural approach to enhance its rhythm and flow.

Language & Craft

The diction is generally somber and evocative, with phrases like 'void breeze of stillness' and 'ugly love' capturing the poem's melancholic tone. However, some word choices could be more precise to avoid ambiguity. The use of alliteration, such as 'smile of spilling clouds,' adds a lyrical quality, though it is not consistently employed throughout.

Emotional Impact

The poem successfully conveys a sense of tragedy and loss, evoking sympathy and sorrow for the girl's plight. The emotional depth is enhanced by the vivid imagery and poignant themes, though the impact could be strengthened with more consistent structural and linguistic refinement.