Broken Promises

Prompt for: May 3, 2016 (Ren)
Subject or Theme: Annoyances
Word(s) to Include: flop, sustain (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): traffic, pet peeves, annoyance, computer, break/broke, chocolate, food (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: Minimum 28 lines, Title of poem should be what your annoyance is.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.


Broken Promises

Two year old flopping on the ground
in full blown tantrum, screaming,
red-faced with tears streaming:
that's what I feel like
when a promise is broken,
when shards of truth lie splintered on the floor.

Instant surge of anger
followed by lack of comprehension,
wanting, insisting to know the why
behind the failure to keep your word.
More than mere promise:
trust, too, is shattered.

The promise itself matters not
as much as the reasoning, the utter lack
of care, the shrugging off of responsibility.
Once, a person's word was their bond,
a handshake meant something
and worlds would be moved that it be kept.

Not so much any more. We live
in a disposable world where truth and lies
comingle behind masks of disdain.
Hard to sustain belief when 'Sorry, I forgot.'
is supposed to fix the unfixable.
Consequences be damned: They no longer exist.

Here's my heart -- feel free to trample it to mush,
but do not ask me for anything. I will not promise
what I no longer have or choose to give.
True heart kept safe inside, I'll only share the decoy;
a dime a dozen. I no longer believe,
in fact, turn a deaf ear. Quieter that way.