Week 14: Tin Man

in lonesome darkness

Week 14: Tin Man

the exile waits in lonesome darkness

Tin Man

My frame is hollow. No fight 

or flight left, only freeze. Clinging 

to the image of who 

I once was. Clutching

ancient weapons to guard against 

predators and pedophiles. Dreaming 

of love like people dream of returning 

home at the end of a long journey. Settling

for oil and rubies and gold to fill 

the empty chambers 

where the heart was meant to be.

Description: This poem is a stark reimagining of the Tin Man as a figure of trauma and emotional depletion. Using the language of survival responses and hollow architecture, it explores what remains when fight and flight are exhausted and only numbness persists. The poem weaves fear, longing, and mythic imagery together, portraying an empty man who substitutes protection and material symbols for vulnerability, while still aching for love as a true homecoming.

Reflection: How does this Tin Man compare to other images you had in your mind? Have you ever felt like this Tin Man or know other people who felt this way? What are other choices or ways of being that could lead to a different, happier ending?