Early Days

Hope in a fledgling romance.

First, I didn’t see him and he saw me.

We were friends, we would laugh,

and then I trusted him.

I told him how it felt

to feel estranged from my own mother,

I told him how it felt to watch my friends self-destruct,

and I told him how it felt not to mean it when I said “I’m okay.”

I told him, and he held me.

After that,

he told me he would whisk me off my feet.

I told him I would like that.

I remember how I felt then,

the evening that he said it.

My heart beat fast and my hands shook,

I fell asleep smiling with his phantom arms around me.

Reviews

[Skye]

The 'phantom arms' part threw me for a loop for a moment - had she imagined her confidant? Was he a lost soul returned to comfort the living? Or was the term simply meant to apply his hold was so careful it was almost like he wasn't there?
Either way, I love how conversational this piece is, while still keeping a lyrical quality.

[Alias]

I wrote this about true events, and our conversation took place over the phone, so afterwards when I fell asleep I was on my own, but I still imagined him there - so that's where the 'phantom' bit came from :)

[Jessalynn]

I love the last line. This is a beautiful poem!

[Coyote Poetry]

A interesting tale in the poem. The good description brought to life emotions, place and strong ending.
"My heart beat fast and my hands shook,
I fell asleep smiling with his phantom arms around me."
The above lines I liked. Left the reader with something to think about. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Skylah Ginette]

Love the last line. The story this poem tells is cute, it makes my heart smile.

[Alias]

Just because it turned to s**t, doesn't mean I forget how he used to make me feel.

[Skylah Ginette]

That's important :) Feeling everything in all its intensity is a great gift, and being able to retain an emotion after it has been engulfed by another feeling is even greater.

[Alias]

This was initially the beginning of a longer poem, where I told the whole story. But I think it works better on it's own, like you say, that way it retains it's emotion.