Collection: Unassigned “A Shattered Cup of Doom”

THUNDERSTRUCKEN

May 24, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“THUNDERSTRUCKEN” is a raw, emotionally charged confessional poem that blends self-deprecating humor, romantic collapse, and storm imagery into a voice-driven modern lament. The tone shifts fluidly between frantic regret, bitterness, vulnerability, and aching loneliness, creating the sense of a speaker unraveling in real time after a failed emotional confession or fractured relationship. One of the poem’s greatest strengths is its highly distinctive voice: conversational, profane, wounded, and darkly funny all at once. The imagery reveals both theatricality and genuine emotional exposure, giving the speaker an almost tragicomic dimension. The ending is especially strong, closing on quiet cinematic loneliness, transforming personal humiliation into a memorable tableau of abandonment and yearning. As a newly written poem for the “A Shattered Cup of Doom” novella, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“THUNDERSTRUCKEN”

lookit there,
it’s hope
i got it
strung up on a rope
i am a dope
a smitten fool
a thunderstrucken
fuckin’ ghoul
why not just let
well-enough alone
i had to stand up
on a wooden box and
commit my heart-felt
words to stone
i saw her frown
i’m such a clown
i let us down
i let us down
the thunder’s truckin’
through the skies
with teardrops
of a zillion eyes
that wash off
all uncertainty
romantic
hopeless clumsy
prematurity
what in hell’s
become of me
pain too great
time too long
now something sweet
and right and strong
has soured to weak
and woefully wrong
and i wait alone
in the light of the street
the moth it flutters
the cricket sings
by a public phone
that never rings

Copyright © 2026 Robert Myrnyj | All rights reserved.
The poems and literary works presented here are original creations by the author.
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STARS UPON THE NIGHT

May 24, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“STARS UPON THE NIGHT” is a dark lyrical narrative poem that blends elements of confessional poetry, folk balladry, and Southern Gothic storytelling. The tone is mournful, suspicious, and emotionally bruised, carrying an undercurrent of betrayal that deepens as the speaker wrestles with a particular woman’s dishonesty and the collapse of trust. The voice is one of the poem’s greatest strengths: intimate, rhythmic, and musical, with the refrains giving the piece a song-like cadence that reinforces obsession and emotional fixation. The poem’s strongest qualities are its memorable repetition, evocative phrasing, and ability to sustain tension between accusation and uncertainty. Particularly effective is the contrast between cosmic imagery and raw colloquial bitterness, which gives the poem emotional texture and originality. As a newly written poem for the “A Shattered Cup of Doom” novella, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“STARS UPON THE NIGHT”

molly swore me to her secrets
and shackled to this dark request
i hear her
spinning gold, a treasure chest
of circumstantial evidence
i hear her

molly told me, but molly lied
she told me she told him goodbye
i saw what i saw, but still she denies
molly told me, but molly lied

what, by god, is wrung from right
how many tears to blur the sight
the fates pin stars upon the night
distant so, can’t taste the light

and even though she told me so
she has lost my trust, i fear
i keep her basted in my doubt
the things she wanted me to hear

molly, molly, sugar cain
she roams the darkest depths, unchained
what good a man, de-balled, de-brained
even she, herself can’t say

MISGIVEN

May 23, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“Misgiven” is classified generally as Dark Gothic and Romance poetry, a mythic love curse and gothic duet. Two damned figures are locked in a sulfurous circle. The strength is the compression, how for example, “one misgiven kiss” dooms them both. The imagery is fierce, original, and unapologetically baroque. The poem suggests a mythic dimension to a particular woman’s relationships that transcends naturalism. As a newly written poem for the “A Shattered Cup of Doom” novella, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“MISGIVEN”

a warhorse storm
of hades, she,
and i, condemned
to her by fate
she drifted in
to shoot the moon
and feed on souls
of low estate

a nightmare on
her blinds, i was
and she, condemned
to me, the same
i, the rage of
brimstone blazing,
who grabbed the midnight
by the mane

a night mare gallop
reigns in hell
our sulfur circle
wishing well
the curse of
one misgiven kiss
and all roads lead
us both to this

AFTERMATHEMATICS

May 16, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“AFTERMATHEMATICS” is a confessional narrative poem blending neo-beat realism, dark lyrical storytelling, and contemporary tragic balladry. The poem’s greatest strength lies in its emotionally raw voice and its ability to balance intimate confession with mythic undertones. Through compact, conversational lines and recurring invocations, the poem creates the feeling of a witness account delivered somewhere between testimony, memory, and lament. Its language remains direct and unornamented, which gives the heavier subject matter a stark authenticity. Strong rhythmic repetition, internal rhyme, and spoken cadence give the piece the quality of a modern folk confession or underground torch song. The poem succeeds as a haunting meditation on trauma, intimacy, memory, and the difficult mathematics of human attachment. This poem is is included in the novella “A Shattered Cup of Doom.”, but is newly written and has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“AFTERMATHEMATICS”

molly swore me to her secrets
and dumps her mess with no regrets
i hear her
she lays a hand upon her chest
and by these truths she does attest
i hear her

molly told me that december
fire smoldered down to ember
when her man demand she sever
bastard child bond forever

what, by god, do mothers see
when cleavered clean from their baby
then in accord with destiny
aftermathematically
she left that man and turned to me

i know because she told me so
the numbers, names, her every tear
i could write a book about
the things she wanted me to hear

molly blue, the bitter queen
the darkness yet holds truths unseen
i wonder might there come a day
even she, herself can’t say

TEARDROPS TWO

May 16, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“TEARDROPS TWO” is best categorized as a lyrical contemporary poem blending romantic elegy, dream pop surrealism, and refrain-based confessional verse with strong musical and song-like qualities. Its language is simple yet emotionally charged, creating an atmosphere that feels intimate, wistful, and electrically surreal at once. The alternating dedications establish a mirrored structure that reinforces themes of reciprocity, separation, identity, and emotional exchange. The repetition functions musically rather than redundantly, producing a soft rhythmic pulse that resembles a melancholic ballad or synth-pop lyric. As a newly written poem for the “A Shattered Cup of Doom” novella, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“TEARDROPS TWO”

teardrops, two,
electric blue
one is for me,
reborn and renewed
the one you inspired
to rise from the gloom
this one is for me,
and the other for you

teardrops, two,
electric blue
one is for you,
the supercharge queen
the one with too many
to choose, in between
this one is for you,
and the other for me

teardrops, two,
in a bottle on the sand
once upon a time
i held the lightning in my hand

teardrops, two,
electric blue
one is for me,
the one tried and true
the one who constructed
a folklore undue
this one is for me,
and the other for you

teardrops, two,
electric blue
one is for you,
the one i set free
the one with those eyes,
yet too blind to see
this one is for you,
and the other for me

teardrops, two
in a bottle on the bay
once upon a tide
i watch the lightning drift away

STRATUM

May 16, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“STRATUM” is best categorized as a gothic narrative poem blending dark fantasy, supernatural horror, and military gothic within a modernized ballad structure. Its strongest achievement is the sustained atmosphere of mythic dread, created through vivid, cinematic imagery and tightly controlled tonal consistency. The poem evokes the cadence of an old oral legend while presenting a layered descent through grave, earth, tomb, and hidden relic that mirrors the title’s geological symbolism. Particularly effective are the concrete visual details, which give the work a tactile, haunting immediacy. The restrained approach to exposition strengthens the mystery, allowing the poem to suggest an entire hidden mythology without over-explaining it. The piece succeeds as a dark, atmospheric ballad of buried violence, dormant power, and memory entombed beneath history. As a newly written poem for the “A Shattered Cup of Doom” novella, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“STRATUM”

drawn with casket from his grave
an old ghost soldier bold and brave
with cold steel eyes that never slept
for many years in vigil kept

into the starry skies he stares
calm and cool the midnight air
and buried last in silver chains
that hobble so his last remains

for one day he was called to life
he howled and drew a kabar knife
and joined in spirit to his flesh
in hot pursuit of sin and death

but now he’s flat upon his back
and bound this day to not attack
and whatever next the orders be
he waits prepared when he’s set free

and there beside the coffin door
a shovel stabs the garden floor
the moonlit shadow that it casts
extends far off into the past

and in the hollow of the dirt
six foot into mother earth
an old man cussing pains out loud
and wiping sweat off from his brow

the old man sweeps away with broom
by torchlight cast into the tomb
a stratum tier of fieldstone rocks
that hides from sight an old black box

CAULDRON

May 16, 2026May 11, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

This poem is a lyric narrative within the confessional and trauma poetry genres, with strong elements of gothic balladry. Its central theme is the aftermath of rape-induced pregnancy and the impossible choice forced upon a survivor who was left with child of her offender. The poem explores maternal sacrifice, theological rage, and the enduring, unquantifiable depth of suffering. The voice is a first-person confidant and witness, attentive, present, and ultimately humbled by the immensity of the struggle shared with him. Structurally, the poem employs a recurring refrain structure across five stanzas, with repeated lines creating a ritualistic, almost liturgical rhythm. Striking imagery abounds. The poem’s theological question hangs unanswered, reinforcing the speaker’s helplessness. This poem is is included in the novella “A Shattered Cup of Doom.”, but is newly written and has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“CAULDRON”

molly swore me to her secrets
draws the curtain to confess
i hear her
pandora opens up her chest
and tries to bring her heart to rest
i hear her

molly told me that november
that her soul became dismembered
when the savage ravage rendered
her with child of her offender

the bird gets worse, the more it sings
a mother forced to cut her strings
to leave her own to what fate brings
what kind of god would do these things

i know because she told me so
the numbers, names, her every tear
i could write a book about
the things she wanted me to hear

molly the princess of pains
the darkness of those days remains
how deep the cauldron of her bane
even she, herself can’t say

IRON MAIDEN

May 11, 2026May 10, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

This poem is a lyric narrative in the confessional and trauma poetry genres, with gothic undercurrents. Its central theme is the aftermath of sexual violence and the profound, shattering psychological damage inflicted upon a survivor. The poem also explores the role of the empathetic witness who bears the weight of her confession. The voice is a first-person confidant and listener. This speaker is compassionate, physically attuned to the distress, and ultimately resigned as helpless to wash away the stain of what occurred. Structurally, the poem uses a repetitive, chant-like form across five stanzas, with recurring lines that create a ritualistic, almost mournful incantation. The closing stanza acknowledges the limits of healing: The title, “IRON MAIDEN,” creatively evokes both the medieval torture device and an image of a heart turned into a locked, punishing cage. Written for the novella “A Shattered Cup of Doom,” “Iron Maiden” is newly produced has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“IRON MAIDEN”

molly swore me to her secrets
i give my best and nothing less
i hear her
her heartbeat staggers in her chest
a shimmery star amulet
i hear her

molly told me that october
a horrid tale she won’t get over
how once a stranger got to know her
how once a stranger got to know her

what, by god, might a heart do
iron fisted, torn, abused
overdriven insane, bruised
what, by god, might a heart do

i know because she told me so
the numbers, names, her every tear
i could write a book about
the things she wanted me to hear

molly, molly, made insane
the darkness of that night remains
how many tears might lift the stain
even she, herself can’t say

MOLLY BLUE

May 10, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

“Molly Blue” is a lyric narrative blending confessional poetry with ballad-like repetition and elegiac tone. Its central theme is the burden of bearing another’s trauma and painful secrets. The voice is a first-person listener and confidant, someone to whom Molly has “sworn” her secrets. The speaker oscillates between tender witness, helpless chronicler, and mourner. Structurally, the poem shifts between rhythmic quatrains and shorter refrain lines. The repetition creates an incantatory effect. The final stanza introduces unresolved mystery, suggesting that some wounds resist articulation, even by the one who lived them. The imagery grounds the ethereal pain in physical, almost noir detail. This poem was written for the novella “A Shattered Cup of Doom,” and being newly produced, it has not yet been assigned to a chapbook.

“MOLLY BLUE”

molly swore me to her secrets
i guess to test, but nonetheless
i hear her
and getting something off her chest
a haze of menthol cigarettes
i hear her

molly told me that september
she so young, she can’t remember
how once upon a time, forever
to other arms, her soul surrendered

what, by god, in moonlight shown
cleavered clean from all she’d known
abandoned, set adrift, alone
what, by god, in moonlight shown

i know because she told me so
the numbers, names, her every tear
i could write a book about
the things she wanted me to hear

molly, molly, child estranged
the darkness of that night remains
what wind aloft might drive the rain
even she, herself can’t say

TIME AND TIME AGAIN

May 11, 2026May 10, 2026 by Robert Myrnyj

This poem is a lyric poem, with strong elements of confessional and gothic poetry. Its central theme is the cyclical nature of suffering and redemption—specifically, the journey from suicidal despair and imprisonment toward spiritual rescue through love. The voice is a first-person speaker, who oscillates between raw anguish and hard-won salvation. Structurally, the poem uses stark rhyme, repetition, and fragmented imagery to mimic obsessive thought and emotional relapse. A new work, “Time And Time Again” is not yet assigned to a chapbook.

“TIME AND TIME AGAIN”

the darkest night of all my days
mousetrap house rat in a maze
some angel shoulder old crow sings
one-eye jack go suicide king

the knight is still without the moon
lately death can’t come too soon
an ounce of cure, a pound of rock
beat the dead horse, beat the clock

marking time and time again
i’m living hell and back again
again and again
and again
again

the prison gate reverberates
scared straight date where fate awaits
lightning striking, hallowed hall
shadow creeping up the wall

she sat beside me on death row
her eyes a blue electric glow
my heart plugged into supercharge
the second hand remains at large

travel time and time again
i’m back from living hell again
again and again
and again
again

she stood to rise and took my arm
and led my spirit clear of harm
due time done did doing time
a simple love, a simple rhyme

energized amazed enthralled
her picture nailed onto the wall
the undeath of the valley stir
every time i think of her