Salt in My Chest

A poem for those who have loved deeply, and survived. But not without change.

There’s salt in my chest,
and it hurts to breathe.

Not the pain of heartbreak;
that would be too simple.
No, this is the kind that lingers long after you're gone.
It seeps into my bones and builds a home beneath my ribs.

You kissed me like a storm before it wrecks the coast.
You were reverent and hungry,
already knowing you’d destroy everything.

I let you. God help me,
I wanted you to.

You said my name like a secret,
like something forbidden,
but your hands never trembled
when you set fire to the parts of me that trusted you.

Now, every breath I take scrapes against the salt you left behind.
Tiny crystals of memory cut through soft places.

I taste you in my sleep. Not your lips,
but your absence, like saltwater on cracked skin.
A sting that comes only after the warmth is gone.

I try to forget, but the sea inside me won’t be calm.
It churns with what we were,
with what I wanted us to be, with the echo of you whispering
"I’ll stay" as the door closed.

There’s salt in my chest.
Heavy. Holy. Unforgiving.

Some nights,
when the world is too quiet,
I press my hand to my heart just to feel it burn.

Just to remember how it felt to drown in you.

Author's Note

Salt in My Chest is a dark romantic poem that explores the painful aftermath of love. This is not the kind that fades away; instead, it lingers in the body like a residue. Blending sensuality with sorrow, it captures the ache of longing, betrayal, and memories that refuse to let go. With ocean imagery and powerful language, the poem paints a picture of a love so intense that it leaves scars, yet is so unforgettable that it becomes sacred. It discusses the price of giving your heart to someone who doesn’t return it fully, along with the haunting beauty of what remains.

Reviews

[Gregoria Ahmed]

A visceral reflection on love's aftermath-how passion lingers not as warmth, but as ache. This poem turns heartbreak into sacred salt, burning with memory and survival.

[Neha agrawal]

Wow, your words are poetry on their own. "Sacred salt" really gave me chills. You captured exactly what I hoped to express: love doesn’t just fade; it transforms into something raw, aching, but strangely holy.

Thank you for feeling it so deeply and sharing it so powerfully. I’m truly touched.
Neha

[Gregoria Ahmed]

It was my honor to read it, Neha. You write with unforgettable clarity.

[Pete]

very well written and expressive. is both sad and beautiful - can feel both the passionate fullness and stinging emptiness. i like the analogy of salt.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you so much, that truly means a lot.
I’m glad the salt analogy resonated. It’s such a small thing, yet it holds both taste and tears, doesn’t it? Life often feels like that, full of flavor but sometimes a little too sharp.

I appreciate that you felt both the beauty and ache in it.
Neha

[Pete]

you're very welcome. my pleasure.

[Kady R.]

Hiii Nehaaa!!

Woooww such an intense deeply feeling poem. I suffered from heartbreak myself and the sting is still there. As if emotional wounds are soo much deeper then the physical ones.

I loved how salt is a seasoning to make things taste better but in this case you used it as something for pain. A reminder of sorts and I found that so clever.

Thanks for sharing🤗🤗🤗

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you for reading my work😊

[Kady R.]

Anytimeee🤗🤗🤗

[Buddhistboy73]

Wow!
A deeply emotional poem here...:)

I love the idea of something like salt which can aggravate a wound like that left by a departed lover....

Well written and it flows nicely....

Thanks for sharing

BB73

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you for reviewing my poem.

[Near]

I like how beautifully sewn the whole piece is. Every word is an invitation to the feelings that were felt. Romance and loss doing a dance.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you🙏

[MalcolmMiller]

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[Neha agrawal]

Thanks for sharing this! It sounds like Wellpin is solving a real pain point.

[Abhijit]

Beautiful as the poem is in its entirety, I particularly love the line "Tiny crystals of memory cut through soft places." It is a very intimate poem ... almost a soliloquy.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you🙏

[Soren]

Graphic and raw it can be felt and tasted. A most powerful poem with the last line driving it home. Very well done.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you🙏

[Soren]

You are most welcome

[Arundass TP]

A thunderstorm of emotions and feelings. Love is just a catalyst. Nice poem

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you for the appreciation🙏

[Curer]

It is always the absence which makes you fall in love with them even deeper!
Nice poem.

[Neha agrawal]

Very true thank you for reviewing my work😊