“The moving finger writes
and having writ moves on;
nor all your piety and wit
shall lure it back to cancel
half a line, nor all your tears
wash out a word of it.”
Omar Khayyam
Ink – once
the deepest shade
of violet, sunlight
has diluted to a paler
shade of white...
stealing the last scrap
I had of you...
A few letters remain...
scattered here and there;
fragmented ‘M’s
and tormented ‘Y’s
still serve to remind
your eyes were the colour
of a bruised, summer sky
when a storm was due.
And yet, one thing’s
never faded;
that flourish at the end
where you’d signed
your name...
as if your pen,
caressed the page
with an impulsive
stroke of longing,
instinctively knowing,
time would erase all, save
that which is written
between the lines.
Comments
Beeme | June 7, 2011 - 21:34
wow, Tina this nearly brought a tear to my eye. It's so beautiful and has stunning imagery too.
I particularily love this image;
'your eyes were the colour
of a bruised, summer sky
when a storm was due.'
Beeme xx
Nathan Bednarek | June 7, 2011 - 22:20
"A few letters remain...
scattered here and there;
fragmented ‘M’s
and tormented ‘Y’s
still serve to remind
your eyes were the colour
of a bruised, summer sky
when a storm was due."
Rarely do I come across a poem that literally pulls me closer and closer to the screen or page it is written on as I read it. This is such an evocative and poignant poem, almost overwhelming. The stanza above is probably among the best I've ever read in poetry, really... The emotion within this stanza and the whole poem just gently rests "between the lines" as you said. What an amazing read this is. I almost didn't want the poem to end, just so that I can get some more of it.
Honestly, poems like this are exactly why I am so happy I found abctales.
Heartfelt and beautiful.
Nathan x
Silver Spun Sand | June 7, 2011 - 22:35
Beeme - thanks so very much;-)
Tina xx
Silver Spun Sand | June 7, 2011 - 22:37
Nathan, I so much appreciate your words and thank you for them.
Tina xx
Highhat | June 8, 2011 - 05:03
Yes beautiful and sad Tina- such strong emotions in a few lines.
;)Pia
Silver Spun Sand | June 8, 2011 - 06:56
Many thanks, Pia;-) A rather 'special' poem for me, so glad you enjoyed.
Tina
paddyjohnston | June 8, 2011 - 08:06
Very nice indeed - I often think signatures have a lot of emotion in them. Great use of abstract nouns without going overboard on them, flows well and is concise. Good work!
Silver Spun Sand | June 8, 2011 - 08:41
Hi there, Paddy;-) Thanks so much for reading and glad you enjoyed.
Tina
skinner_jennifer | June 8, 2011 - 13:03
What can I say, that hasn't already been said,
another really impressive poem from you Tina.
You are a truely gifted person.
Jenny.
Silver Spun Sand | June 8, 2011 - 13:43
Thanks, Jenny;-)
Tina
shoe | June 8, 2011 - 18:41
Really beautiful, and I love the second verse especially, as beeme and Nathan have already quoted, very lovely.
Silver Spun Sand | June 8, 2011 - 20:25
Thanks, shoe. Much appreciated;-) Tina
rjnewlyn | June 8, 2011 - 22:15
Yes I know what you mean. I lost some old letters a while back and it felt bad for a while but, like you say, it's the words between the lines that matter and don't fade. Very beautifully put.
Rob
JoseHdz | June 9, 2011 - 05:39
this is a special one--love it!
seashore | June 9, 2011 - 07:55
Another moving poem, lovely writing
Silver Spun Sand | June 9, 2011 - 10:51
A lovely comment, Rob. Very many thanks;-)
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | June 9, 2011 - 10:52
Cheers, Jose;-) And thank you.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | June 9, 2011 - 10:53
Pleased you enjoyed it, Coral and thanks for letting me know in such a lovely way;-)
Tina
barryj1 | June 9, 2011 - 14:50
Ditto on everything that has already been said above. You have an amazing talent for getting at the heart of the matter.
Silver Spun Sand | June 9, 2011 - 17:53
Thanks, so very much, barry;-)
Tina
MistakenMagic | June 9, 2011 - 18:36
I too love the image Beeme quoted, and wow, that ending Tina! You really do have a knack for finishing your poems beautifully and this one is no exception. Very well done on the cherry!
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | June 9, 2011 - 18:41
Thanks, so very much, Magic. Hope life is treating you kindly. Great to hear from you;-)
Tina xxx
Cavalcaderl | June 9, 2011 - 21:13
New Silver-Spun-Sand
Well deserved cherries!
and acceptionally written,every line
from the heart, full of a lot of emotions,
and very special. Hope you keep all your
poems. And our well.
julie x
Silver Spun Sand | June 10, 2011 - 10:15
Thanks, Julie and I hope you keep all your lovely poems too;-)
Tina xx
Steve | June 10, 2011 - 12:33
This is an excellent poem. Very well written.
Silver Spun Sand | June 10, 2011 - 17:53
Many thanks, Steve;-)
Tina