I Waited

A tale of loss.

Tonight

my head will rest upon

the pillow of regret.

 

As I watch an autumn sky

full of cold stars

and a wind chilled moon

through the skylight,

a profound sadness

will comfort me.

 

Once you were a possibility,

once you were the heart

and soul of me.

 

All the hope that

I could muster.

 

And I called to you

and you came.

 

As you stood, a silhouette

in my doorway,

I dared to believe,

listened to your sweet

voice, read your perfect

romantic poetry,

and waited for your

warm breath on my cheek.

 

But perhaps you were

simply a beautiful

spectre,

for you never stepped

over that threshold.

 

But still I believed

and believed

and believed,

until belief was truly

as dried as my tears.

 

Now, in days stripped of reason

and bereft of purpose

I bleed for that faith.

 

24/09/20

Author's Note

Reviews

[A.H.]

Your poem describes a painful heart loss. Described as a tale, the imagery, hallucinations, sadness, tears and finally a deep faith that the person whose loss is described will come back. I can sense a hopelessness at the end, where although faith and belief is strong but in reality it may not happen. There's sadness, depth and emotions all painted through this poem beautifully. Wonderful writing, John. Thanks for sharing!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Abhilash for such a fulsome review!

[Robert Trakofler]

years ago I had a vocalist friend and one day after a rehearsal she sang an impromptu ditty with me accompanying her voice on the drums it was a gorgeous melody and in her refrain was the line I'm waiting for you she sang it with an almost haunting quality... Your poem just shot me like a rocket to that memory!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I hope it was a kind memory and not one of regret Robert. Thank you for reading.

[John the Baptist]

This is a poem that makes one speculate. Is the enchanting visitor a memory seen in a dream? Is the distressed speaker having some kind of hallucination? Is this a visitation from the world beyond? All are possibilities. Desire and fear combined can sometimes produce effects that can seem very real. On the other hand, maybe the visitor was real and had second thoughts at the last moment.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed all of those JTB, all of them in a mix we writers like to call verse lol! Many thank yous!

[X]

Oh No! Who made you so sad John? Cheer up she may still come around...:)

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ah Kira my heart is a fragile place that has spilt love's blood. I guess this is an amalgam of experience and experience stolen from others. Many thanks and happy day!

[X]

Beautiful heartfelt poem with impactful lines
"Now, in days stripped of reason
and bereft of purpose
I bleed for that faith."

Epic!

Have a lovely day :)

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much dear poet, writer, artist etc, etc lol

[Chris Shaw]

Loss is hard to deal with particularly if expectations were sky high. A sad poem with a universal theme. Well penned free verse filled with pathos.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much Chris and happy Friday!