Ooo
you moaned
and ~ startled ~
they came running.
They had longed to
hear
you speak, eager to
please
or at least not scare
you who
harbored your sadness
alone and
holy at the border of
social grace.
Some had romanticized
you as hermit
intellectually
superior
and spiritually
engaged beyond
their normal powers
of observation
Some had imagined reaching
through your ice
Touching your
unmoving lips with their own
Heating your
detachment into desire
Your syllable broke the
holding pattern
so they can ask and
you can say that
you do not want to
seem needy
you loved watching
them live
you wove rescue stories
of friends climbing
over walls
to free
you.
Posted at Poets United Poetry Pantry - #164.
This is beautiful, Susan, and fascinating—it raises all sorts of questions: who, what, where, when, why? But it is perfect, even without answers.
ReplyDeleteK
Thank you, Kay.
DeleteThis is such a depthful poem of humanness, Susan, and sometimes it isn't easy being human. I really like the shape of the poem and the way you wove your ideas into the shape.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary.
Deletethis is def fascinating susan...makes me wonder at the story....i am envisioning either and elderly who has lost the ability to speak or someone that has finally awaking one syllable....seeing their heart in this, enjoying their lives...weaving the rescue stories.....really an intriguing story....
ReplyDeletehiya...happy sunday susan...
Deleteyou are always welcome here, Brian. I really liked the ways you saw to interpret the poem.
DeleteSusan~
ReplyDeleteFascinating. The detached observer. The impressions others have of her/him. Adoration without full understanding. Assumptions of intellect and spirituality. SO many facets to this piece. So much emotion, and in less conventional ways, desire. And the last lines of rescue are a delightful way to end.
AH, Kim! Thanks for the prompt, "Cry out."
DeleteI imagined an older person who has reached a point in life when he/she may appear to be physically needy. But mentally, this person has a wealth of grand memories of an active life. A beautifully paced, thoughtful poem.
ReplyDeleteThat is definitely here, thank you for noting it!
DeleteContinued appreciation of your poem today, Susan! I really think it would be nice to envision that one would have friends who would climb over walls to free a person. Those would be special friends.....really!
ReplyDeleteKeeping the dream alive ...
Deletea poignant picture of a detached person crossing the bar......
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sumana!
Deletebeautiful poem and I like its structure also
ReplyDeleteSuch a string write, makes me wonder at the back story.....I especially love the idea of the friends climbing over the wall to save the person.
ReplyDeleteI shall keep the back story a secret, as I believe we can each supply our own!
Deletethats a gripping tale.I know the type you refer to.fascinatingly put.
ReplyDeleteI love the questions this piece has raised within me. I would rather not spoil the mystery and leave myself pondering for days as to what this little poem refers. Very well done, and thank you for a much needed riddle:)
ReplyDeleteI think we each have a story we can fill in these blanks with. Thank you for visiting, Justin!
Delete