Silent Companion

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. Focus on the good, no matter how small. ~ Alice Morse Earle

A quiet, yet persistent companion

shadows my every move

its shade lengthens

hope, my lifeline

clinging with trembling hands

though I mourn the way things used to be

this new path is barren

and leaves much to be desired

meeting this version of myself

was never something I wished for

yet here I stand

the outside unchanged

the inside, foreign and hostile terrain

how does one live beneath a looming cloud

will the sun ever reach me again

do I possess the strength to endure

faith flickers, fragile and fading

but it’s all I have

~ acrylic on canvas MCS

Reviews

[Kelly Scheppers]

"...faith flickers, fragile and fading...but it's all I have."

Our faith is the very essence of what keeps us alive. Every day is a struggle, just putting one foot in front of the other. We are like trees, standing against the wind. We bend, we sway, our branches creak, but we never allow life's adversities to break us. We are meant to lean on each other. That is where our strength lies. My very best to you, Mary!

[MCS]

Kelly, thank you so much for your visit and thoughtful comment. I apologize for the delayed response. I’ve been away tending to some health issues. You’re absolutely right; without faith, it’s easy to lose the strength to keep moving forward. Learning to lean on others is still a work in progress for me, but I’m getting there, one step at a time.

[Buddhistboy73]

An almost desperate poem but with a hopeful ending.....it tugs at the reader's spirit with it's barren, hostile terrain....but then....

Faith flickers.....it's all I have.....

Nice ending...:)

BB73

[MCS]

BB73, my apologies for the delayed response. I’ve been away dealing with some health issues. I truly appreciate your thoughtful comment. In challenging times, it’s important to make a conscious effort to hold onto hope.

[Neha agrawal]

Thank you for sharing such beautiful piece

[MCS]

Neha, thank you for taking the time to read. It is very much appreciated.

[Chris Shaw]

Beautifully expressed lines Mary, with feeling and I am right there with you. We live in dark times, but I do believe it is a passing phase. I believe there will be brighter days ahead and I put my faith in that. Your poem could equally apply to the aging process. An honest and well conveyed composition. Keep strong.

Chris

[MCS]

Chris, thank you for your beautiful words. Indeed, we’ve all witnessed a great deal of darkness lately, and I fear the storm has not yet passed. But darkness cannot endure forever. We will turn the page on this cycle of madness, and reason will once again take root. Challenges will always arise, but perhaps that is the very nature of life; to persist, to grow, and to find light even in the shadows.

[Betty Hermelee]

The outside only changes with age, but the inside can change many times dependent upon a mood or a shadow; sometimes the inner self that you meet is scary and foreign and one loses hope; sometimes it is like a void; you really express your inner being with honesty and I appreciate that. But don’t lament the past because that is over; a new path has already here.
Thank you for sharing😊
Warmly
B🌷

[MCS]

Betty, as always, I deeply value your words and wisdom. Life can be frightening, yet it offers moments that nourish the soul and refresh the mind. Challenges will come, whether through aging, illness, conflict, or the unknown, but we must stay the course and fight the good fight. Thank you for reading.

[Betty Hermelee]

You are very welcome!
Warmly, B

[John the Baptist]

Many of us are enduring somber times now, but all things pass, as will this current dark age. I have read many of your splendid, sparely worded poems, and you impress me as a strong person. You, and all of us, will go beyond this.

[MCS]

John, thank you for your words. We’re all part of this tangled mix, and at times, it can feel hopeless. But giving up is not an option. As poets, we carry the responsibility of bearing witness and recording these moments so that lessons may be learned and past misdeeds not repeated.

[PaleWriter]

Faith is a lifeline for the down n out. Never lose it. Keep on trying, every new path has possibilities.

[MCS]

Sherry, your wisdom is appreciated. Thank you.

[keith]

'yet here I stand
the outside unchanged
the inside, foreign and hostile terrain'

a very stark and self-deprecating statement not many would say so honestly
there is just so damn much negative to digest
an avalanche not normally or usually needing to be tended
i am over being angry but it is becoming second nature
just drop the fukin bomb already before i do

but but but! there is positive in my compound oreo had 3 kittens on the 15th and sizzie had 4 today
my house is once again oozing estrogen ... either kinda calm down by proxy or drown in annoyance
i'm enjoying the newbies ... now to figure out how to ship the off to my buddies with kids! HA!
i am an evil s.o.b. i am! how's the new bow wow?

[MCS]

My friend, your use of 'avalanche' is strikingly apt. It’s been one challenge after another, cascading over us for years. Yet here we stand battered, yes, but with our morals intact.