Trace Evidence

TRACE EVIDENCE

caught and fearing ... we run and

claim innocence

desperate, narrow, brownstone crevasse

like a path that squeezes me tighter as i go

a vast vault of human kind

plastered with

slight    misted     and ghosty touching

we asign blame to others

nice try!

i lie to cover tracks of

guilty verdicts with

chamealian colors 

i change elusive

hues    

that just right marriage of

 green and greasy slick dark

to hide .... to allure and capture

old mossman greybeard

he has cyprus knees 

tenaciously they stand    they withstand 

with tendril beards of those still tall

inflated platitudes 

on the face of failing policy

the eraser at the end of my yellow pencil

is shiney and hard

I run it across my mistakes and

create dull smudges 

I wet the end    try again but

All I get is torn and 

wadded paper balls 

obliterate spit balls to flick and stick

i feel so sad .............and empty now

so sad and empty. 

flicking.  

1/21/2025

E.

 

Author's Note

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

a complex and difficult poem to write and live through, we all make mistakes in our daily lives, specifically our writing…so we erase and erase, try be perfect, sometimes it turn out for the better, sometimes not….” alli get is torn and wadded paper balls”……. well written E.
Warmly, B

[Einstein Noodle]

Betty ... what a treat to have your review on this .. thank you so much .. it means a lot to me .. your words ..thanks!!
E.

[Betty Hermelee]

You are very welcome E... My pleasure
Warmly, B

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I not a fan of the "blame game" but I am a huge fan of personal responsibility and accountability. Blame never helps to resolve problems or issues and detracts from viable solutions and the implementation of them. I'd rather solve the problem than point fingers. But, that's just how I've always felt. Don't make accusations, make a difference. A great write from a wonderfully bright mind and a gifted pen. F.

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you, Fabian ... your comments are true and generous .. i appreciate your visits and input always and for taking time to review this one .. glad you found something in it that spoke to you :)
E.

[Poetic Beauty]

The second stanza in this poem is profound. We often like to assign blame to others and lie about circumstances in order to deflect our own transgressions.

[Einstein Noodle]

we do ... it is a failing of character we contend with ... even the loftiest goals of the spirit are by far ... failed at .. we need a way .. don't we? ;) thanks so very much for your input ... especially helpful anything that stood out positive or constructively negative ..love and joy!
E.

[Poetic Beauty]

Many things in this poem stood out. The description are vividly done.

It has taken me years to understand that not everyone gives blunt honesty. For me it is refreshing when someone is blunt and honest. I’d rather the truth than someone to lie. Lying will piss me off way more than the truth

[Einstein Noodle]

:) .................... i think most would agree with you Poetic

[Poetic Beauty]

I’m not sure most are equipped to handle blunt honesty. Example when my now ex relapsed and I asked him point blank he lied. I was way more pissed at the fact he lied.

[Einstein Noodle]

:( ................... my Da use to tell me "Two things you don't ever want to do, son; to lie and steal .. if you do, no one will ever trust you" .. love my Da ... the ol' Irishman in heaven :)

[Poetic Beauty]

Sounds like your Da was a wise man. Most people like things sugar coated and softer. I would rather have blunt and raw honesty.

[Einstein Noodle]

ij think he was ... a quiet man ... huge heart he rarely showed ;)

[Pete]

love the opening. stark and honest. not easy to own up to our mistakes. begs for making things right although it is those mistakes that we hopefully learn from and do not repeat. we make due with what we've got and try to move on regardless. poignant ending. a melancholy write for sure. well done.

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you Pete! i appreciate the time you took to read and review .. special thanks for letting me know something that especially spoke to you .. yes! too easy to own up ... somebody has said something like the only mistake we make is not admitting it ... or something like that ;) making do and moving on is huge encouragement my friend .. and very reassuring to me .. love and peace
E.

[Lydia Shutter]

"chameleon colors".....that really struck me. How many people...especially on line....change with each keystroke. How can we believe? I remember wetting the eraser end of my #2 pencil thinking it would work better at erasing my mistakes, but alas, it only ripped the paper. Have to tell you, E, some of these lines made me think of a nightmare...or an escape room! "green and greasy dark" OH MY! If that is not straight out of a ghost story, nothing is! Your poetry is always deep, E...multi-layered. I liked unraveling this one! Lydi**

[Einstein Noodle]

welocme back Ms. Lydi! i, as always, am so appreciative of your reviews ... thank you for pointing out the things that stood out for you and for taking time to unraveling a few layers ...things that are important to me .. love and peace!
E.

[Neville]

I think you are a genius Gene and although I know you will disagree or even argue .. just be sure I will always think thus .. and not only that, I shall erase any evidence that suggests otherwise .. well either that or you are a prophet .. Bet ya didn't see that one coming now did ya brother .. a superb bit o poetry if you don't mind or object to me saying so .. Just wish I had got to them bloomin words first .. Neville

[Einstein Noodle]

i'll leave the genius to others ... (for now) ;) i'm feeling a bit elated you enjoyed this one Sir Nev. .. much respect for you always .. thankyou
E.

[Neville]

See, I told ya so didn’t I, still my absolute pleasure my friend .. Neville

[Soren]

There are thoughts that seem so briliant until put on paper and the more they are edited the less briliance shows through. Reworked and reworked they become a steak overcooked. So it is with mistakes made out of promises whether political or practical. There are great lines in this poem that ring classic in nature. The small print has the devil in the detail blame to others they stand they withstand

[Einstein Noodle]

i agree Soren .. thanks always for taking time to read, review and share your reactions .. i feel gratified you found something in this to inspire your kind review ... peace and joy brother!
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

And all I can think of now is our current leader...this sums him up perfectly, even if he was not the subject of this brilliant piece.
The "I lie" stanza....the failed policies...feeling sad and empty and bitter, even with all his power.
One track mind lately, so sorry, E.
quite the poem.
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

your not alone, jacob ... best to drop out and tune in to non-dividing .. yes .. this can be taken politically for sure .. on either end of the spectrum .. all our leaders, once in, always need our prayers to just do their jobs .. work it out, get it passed and keep America and it's citizens high in importance .. but .. no ... it isn't about politics so much ... peace my brother ... i love and appreciate you always .. i think you are top notch and hope you are taking care of yourself and yours .. :)
E.

[ETERNITY]

This writing, E, its brilliance going off like camera flashes!
The hard eraser..oh, I hate that devil! It ruins so many masterpieces!
Running through that narrow crevice squeezing me tighter as it gets narrower...is that a word? lol.
This writing made me pant and struggle for my freedom all throughout!
It is a beauty! Thanks E!

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you so much Betty! i am blown away with such a generous review ... makes me want to do it again .. write that is ;) blessings on you!
E.

[Stella Armour]

That narrow crevasse squeezing our conscience and like a chameleon we change our colour to suit our circumstance.. but conscience keeps changing the hue until we are laid bare with no pencil and eraser to correct and we are glaringly guilty .... there is a moral in this as to how we are left with an aching heart and soul.
This was one to think about Gene... enjoyed the journey.

[Einstein Noodle]

i love that, Stella! "... glaringly guilty" ... no eraser, no pencil and no paper either :)))))) love this review .. thanks so very much for taking time
E.

[Stella Armour]

my pleasure Gene ... enjoyed the read :)

[Lorry]

And all I hear is myself doing an impression of Bart Simpson saying "It wasn't me! I was dead at the time!"
But those blackened pencil erasers are a source of dejection for many E.
I think they only ever worked of you stuck your tongue out to the right with that "I'm really concentrating" look on your face!
😃
So good to see a new write from you popping up my friend.
Please say "Woof" to beauregar...Bow Regard for me! 😃

[Einstein Noodle]

thank always for your continued support, Lorry ... and for your humorous, imaginative insights and comments .. luv on ya bro! and peace and joy
E.