the call of the dark/the call of the cold

After Christmas, before New Years, I always experience abysmal depression; this is merely an expression of that.

 

this life I have cobbled together

this flotsam and jetsam

these splinters and shards

these rags and relics:

it means nothing.

this ugly collage

of mismatched people,

messy emotions,

imitations of virtue

with clay feet and a flimsy façade,

this life has left no ripple

on the swelling ocean of time.

my ungainly steps

have always led me astray.

I am a caricature

of who I wanted to be.

I want to scrub my shadow

from every place it has ever fallen,

erase my name from any record

and fall off the face of the earth.

I want to hide on the dark side of the moon

and scribble apology notes

to the world

and the graces I offended.

forgive me.

forgive me.

 

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

excellent alliteration maintains the rhythm of the mood here...

and yes, we may do this...ask forgiveness for a life we feel has fallen short...but in the end, most likely we have done pretty well, considering...and often sell our worth short...

I think poets do that a lot...we feel we haven't made enough of a difference and our words are just like jetsam and flotsam--pieces that don't exactly make up the best whole.

nicely done.

[Kolton Sorrell]

An amazing poem! You have a high chance of winning the contest,

[annie lee]

Thank you very much.

[Frieda P]

Powerful read, I can relate, about the same way I feel around the holidays. Love that line 'I am a caricature of who I wanted to be'...god that hits home, your scribbling needs no absolution annie lee.

[annie lee]

Thanks. Self-doubt is like a parasite I cannot seem to shake.

[Lyn Anderson]

This is a great, emotive, powerful write, with great use of alliteration.

[Pryde Foltz]

No forgiveness needed for this poem. Sublime word-play, Annie.