Things I Wish I’d Said

Muse is wearing rhyme

in the quiet hours of pre-dawn
in this sleepless drowsy state
i’m reflecting as I’m prone to
yet I know it’s far too late

to ponder on what’s been and gone
and wish I’d done it better
what wasn’t said with my own voice
i should have sent by letter

nothing can prepare us for
the finality of death
how important that these things are known
before the final breath

so today I wish to speak out loud
sincerely and it’s true
i always shone my torch for you
while standing in the queue

Reviews

[Zoe Richardson]

Oh, wow! This poem packs such a punch. Most of my poems have been for my late spouse, who would not listen to me before he passed away. I've also written volumes about those whom I've had to leave behind during one of my many relocations, including a poem entitled "Words Unsaid." I don't know why we feel compelled to say things we know people will not hear. I consider my words a prayer of sorts. Even if that person cannot hear me, somewhere down the line I gain an understanding of why things happened as they did. I hope this for you, as well. While closure is a myth, you can learn to move on.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Zoe for sharing your thoughts here. You are much appreciated.

Chris

[CJ]

This is heavy, but I would say it rings true to losing someone you care for. I have lost people before without getting the chance to say what I wanted them to know, without letting them know what they meant to me. That personal experience honestly makes this poem hit closer to home, and I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions, especially given how personal they are. You are an amazing writer.

[petec3638]

How poignant is this now for us
Sunday tea time she was unable to get to the table
We called a paramedic they cleaned her up and put her to bed
Next morning she was taken in> Blue lights & sirens for ten miles
I kept telling her that I would stay by her
Three nights I slept in her room/ then I was told to go home . so I went on to days
Sunday morn 03,00 a phone come in now

She didnt respond to our greeting > just motioned a drink - her staring eyes pleading > she couldnt drink just wet her lips
we talked of past times = happy times
finally she breathed her last Twelve hours from the call

[Chris Shaw]

Peter, I am so very sorry to hear this from you. Take good care of yourself and remember the happy times. 🌹

[petec3638]

This poem from you is the nearest to getting in terms we were married for 62 years
both racing cyclists (The Yorkshire racing ladies got us together ) then we changed to fell walking no problems with training

[Betty Hermelee]

Dearest Chris
A stunning heartfelt piece with words of soft reflections… I believe we always think we can do more, do better, yet we are only human and cannot accomplish everything else want to do or say to someone we love and cherish; we can only do our best at that moment; your words are so endearing and full of emotion
Warmly
B🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Betty for your warm words. This is an old poem out for a breath of fresh air and the flick
of a duster. Have a good Wednesday. ❤️💐

[Betty Hermelee]

Always a pleasure Chris...hope your weekend is joyous!!! Warmly, B

[Lorry]

And just as well you did Chris, because its so flippin' dark here that I nearly drove into the sea, thinking it was a shiny new road! 😀
We all say things we didn't mean or forget to say what we did, but it is also good to hear them too.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Lorry, thanks for checking in. I think most people will relate to this old poem of mine. Out for a breath of fresh air after a dusting down.

Chris

[Desert Knave]

I really identify with the this as I spend a lot of my quiet time mulling over what I could have said better (or said at all) in the course of the days. Very good write (and wonderful rhyme). ~Jim

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Jim. Pleased you could relate to my thoughts here. I appreciate your visit.

Chris

[Soren]

So often we hesitate too long to say what we wished we had said. The moment passes and before we know it so do we. A truly powerful poem Chris

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Soren. A lesson that many of us understand too late. An older poem out for a breath of fresh air. Your words and thoughts valued and appreciated .

Chris

[Soren]

Most welcome my friend

[Jansy]

Chris, this is quietly profound. The simplicity gives it such honesty....there’s something deeply human in the way regret and tenderness coexist here. That final image, “I always shone my torch for you,” feels like love distilled to its purest form....steady, humble, and enduring, even in silence. Beautiful work.
-James

[Chris Shaw]

Dear James, this is an older poem out for a breath of fresh air. Sometimes I like to dust them down and send them spinning again. Your thoughts moved me. Thank you so much.

Chris

[RomaJ]

There’s a quiet honesty in this poem that really lingers. I love how the speaker turns the small, everyday moments..the pre-dawn, standing in a queue..into reflections on loss, regret, and connection.

The rhythm is gentle, almost like a breath, and the imagery of “shining my torch for you” carries both intimacy and light.

It feels deeply human, a tender reckoning with what we wish we’d spoken before it’s too late.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Roma, this is an older poem out for a breath of fresh air. Your words are thoughtfully moving. Know you are appreciated.

Chris

[Thomas W Case]

Beautiful. Poignant and powerful.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Thomas fur stopping by. All the best.

Chris