Sea legs.

Something of a reckoning.

Your voice was shaking and your body was weak.

Your bones were shattering and you could barely stand.

You did all that you could to stand up straight;

to pretend that you had the slightest bit of confidence,

but we all knew there was nothing there.

You never were much of anything.

A pile of dust that blew away with the wind.

Author's Note

I was aiming for a simple feel. Let me know your what you think. :)

Reviews

[Kelsey Schadt]

What a well considered metaphor. May I make a suggestion?
"but we all knew there was nothing there." This line doesn't seem as strong as all the rest. Perhaps the two theres aren't the strongest word choices. I think by reworking this line, you will take an already strong poem to the next level!

[Maja]

Woah that escalated quickly. I guess we all are at one point or another having ''sea legs"; unable to regain our balance when our ships are setting sail. Lovely writing. :)

[Richard🖌]

I think you are successful at making the feel of this simple with the title and the unsuccessful effort to attain sea legs (some never do), yet complex in its metaphor and abstract poignancy of the penultimate and final lines.

Thank you, Vido, for the uniquely thought-provoking moment shared! ⁓ Richard

[jeannemarie coulter]

a very sad comment about the value of a living being...very well written...

[....................]

As a man who spends a lot of time on the ocean, I believe this is a perfect description of trying to find one's legs while the world keeps shifting beneath them...It's one of the few places where a person cannot pretend to be more than they are... either you have them, find them, or you never do...I like the juxtaposition between your photo, title and poem...