Little Pieces - Paul Maddy

Little Pieces

It's so very hard to die in little pieces,

Not by cancer ravaged over time,

Or by bullet suffered grievous wound,

But by hateful act or cruel word,

Tiny bits of tissue rot from human bone.

It's so very hard to die in little pieces,

Not from thirst for lack of water,

Or from starvation for not a morsel to eat,

But for lack of a mother's kiss

Or for the presence of a father's love.

It's so very hard to die in little pieces,

Bruise by bruise, blow by blow,

Tissue torn, skin burned deep, broken bone,

All alone, completely forgotten.

It's so very hard to die in little pieces.

Tiny pieces of humanity have been strewn over the face of the earth for many millennia with no end in sight. These are stories of human suffering reflecting the dilemma of how can an individual survive in the face of worldwide cataclysmic events or personal tragedies, whether self-inflicted or as a victim? "What can I possibly do? Leave me alone. I never asked for this" Hide you might, resist you will, but your fate remains your own.

Noir is a genre characterized by cynicism, fatalism and especially moral ambiguity. However, these stories, dark as they are, may have gems buried deep within them. Search deeper! Perhaps light dwells in the darkest of corners! These stories and poems are continuous action, psychologically thrilling and thought-provoking as well as entertaining to the reader desiring something from the world of noir but with a twist. Each story has a "you never saw that coming" ending.

A collection of four short stories and four poems.

Shock: An idyllic day of rest on the beach is shattered by tragedy which leads to phantasmagoric travel through time and history. It ends where it started. To sacrifice oneself is a voluntary act, or is it? Whether by choice or chance, what will I do when confronted with human suffering? 

Abused: Do the child victims of abuse grow up to be abusers or are they able to overcome their past? Andy is born to an abusive parent. His life follows the tragic script which is suddenly interrupted by good fortune. But will it be enough? Time and circumstance has charted his self-destructive course but can the determined love of another soften and recast Andy's future?

Letters from the Grave: The dead plead their case from the grave. Ignorance, anger and arrogance confront the Messiah. What hope does He offer them? And does that hope extend beyond the grave?

The Minister: A child with a severe facial disfigurement gives the appearance of avoiding reality which is hurtful to his mother and confuses his father as he lives a secret life in the open.

Four poems, including:

O, Mother, Have You Heard: Having to endure the loss of a child might be the greatest of human suffering.

"A debut volume of short stories and poems explores the impact of human suffering. Maddy's greatest strength is his storytelling..."

-Kirkus Review