Hard to Let go?

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 19 Feb 2026
  • 79 reads
4 comments
 

She loved her old house at the edge of the cliff
filled with the things of memories past.
But one day the cliff crumbled down, all was lost –
out into the ocean cast.

He clung to his hatred and bitterness,
but one day, grimly he had to confess
it was eating away at his soul and mind – oh, to be
from this anger and malice to others set free!

She held to her privacy, wouldn’t share heart
secrets – a barrier it proved
to unity, sharing in marriage, no trust:
her husband felt lonesome, outcast.

They piled up things in their attic
that their children one day may
be glad to see, but in that day …
What did the children do?
Out to the tip most of it went …
but as they older grew
soon they too hoarded
their treasures, packed up
into the attic, in case … 
but in the day … no way …
out to the skip and then to the tip …

He clung to the things he now knew were wrong,
though in earlier days, all seemed to do it.
Didn’t want to admit that for so, so long
he’d indulged in a selfish mean habit.

She clung to autonomy, master of self,
no-one should command, guide her soul.
But one day she met with the Maker of all.
more blessed when accepting his care and wise rule.

[IP: “The Thing You Kept... But Shouldn’t Have.”]

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Philosophy
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Good story Rhiannon, in poetry form! It sounds very cruel to say, but sometimes really also people cling too much to the memory of lost ones, and should in the end just give way a little bit and carry on with life and new loved ones.

Even more cruel to say, trying to keep them alive, even sometime wallowing in it.

I hope you are well Rhiannon! Bit of a rouff patch here all's well again!

Keep well! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

It can be silly to cling on to too much 'stuff', though the occasional 'relic' from a past era is interesting to see!

Desperately trying to keep someone alive who is very uncomfortable is sad, though hastenning death deliberately is very wrong. Medicines that make more comofrtable may slighgtly bring death a bit earlier, but that is not the same as purposely causing death.

Sorry for your rough patch, and glad things are better, Rhiannon

 

Submitted by TJW on

I like that you say death.  Not passing on, passing away, humma humma. We die.  It's death.  Be point blank about it.  

V/R

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

it is interesting that 'passing away' is used as people don't want to talk about 'death' simply. Yet, actually, it is a passing away, in the sense that it is not final anhiliation, but that is also what many don't want to talk or think about, or pray about.

Though I think nothing of all this came up in my verse! Rhiannon