"Perhaps if I speak this way - for you ..."

Friday

 

"Perhaps if I speak this way - for you ..."

 

Was a time I sat

...there... by the window -

in THAT chair

...looking through the glass

- right there -

with the phone ...close.

 

It didn't ring.

 

Seems they seldom ever do

...ring - ya know?

 

And yet so many calls ...go figure.

that never have that THING to say -

that ONE,

that special,

that ...part I can't explain - thing

that makes me want

to cry

and die and live and fly

and run and dance and scream and shout and and !!

...and... and

 

...but it didn't ring.

 

Sometimes its as if...

as if everyone were telemarketing their lives,

leave me wondering IF

they kept it from ringing

with their bland "-ishments" of senseless "busy"

and their endless tones of self and less ...need

 

...keeping me surrounded in this,

this -

rounded - grounded

edgeless     seamless     seeming less and less -

silence.

 

I remembered how

- then and now -

to smile

to watch, breathe, care

to be ...me.

 

I just didn't want to... then

 

But not wanting to do or be -

never seems to be enough of a reason

...to not do ...or be,

and now?  I've been me forevers and evers.

I wouldn't - couldn't -

do anything BUT

be me...

 

Do you see that chip in the glass?

THAT chip ...right here...

yes, this one...

I made it      tapping and tapping

and tapping - thoughtlessly

hours, days ...a lifetime

...minutes... dreaming in inches

breathing in ...wishes...

wings crossing the world

back and forth

back and forth again

and again

finding, touching...

pausing, listening - seeing

'til with misted eyes

I left behind the noseprint traces

of footprints in whitenoise snow.

 

I'm shaking my head now... really, I am.

 

 

"Listen ...

that's the feel of the wind chimes

moved by the solar breath

reaching so far beyond

where even pixels don't ...exist."

 

Neat ... huh...

 

Chris

 

 

Author's Note

feel free

Reviews

[Relic]

Lots of feeling in this, Chris. I remember those days when there were no answering machines. You had to actually pick up the phone to find out who was calling. I'm sure kids today wouldn't be able to handle that. Suppose they missed the call and their instant gratification was injured?

But knowing it's someone who cares on the other end, someone you care about, that's a worthy call worth waiting for.

[Stephany]

Not sure how I missed this...
Undeniably, no one writes in such poetic circles and straight lines simultaneously as you. The worse part of every form of communication is when it doesn't deliver the way we want. But, how much of life is about what we want as compared to how we adjust and make ourselves believe it was the course we wanted all along. Much like your last stanza...

[Chris]

Good seeing you Steph ...stay safe.

[Fairy Khan]

Your poetry is next level. I just loved this one.

[Chris]

Life has kept me busy - thanks for pausing.

[Rene Velez]

splendid write Chris, a lot of power behind this, good rhymes, man.

[Lizzi]

Your poetry is so abstract. It's welcoming. You really gain insight as to who you are as a writer. It's neat getting to see your personality shine so vibrantly through your writing. I absolutely loved it. Thanks for sharing!

[Chris]

Am I truly as abstract as you think? or perhaps you might pause and hear me speaking WITH you - not at you. I hope you pause with me again and again as you find your balance and catch your breath.

[Lizzi]

I'm going to say a little of both. :) You're definitely speaking with your audience as you are sharing your thoughts. However you're sharing in an abstract way. This is my opinion anyway. I enjoy it!

[Chris]

Chuckling here...good thoughts and insight.

[Lydia Shutter]

It does sometimes feel as though people have cashed in their humanity for yet another electronic device. No conversations or human interactions exist some days. keeping me surrounded in this,

this -rounded - grounded edgeless seamless seeming less and less - silence." Very clever wordplay in this line. I enjoyed the poem. Lydi**

[Chris]

Hi Lydi, it's what we as poets do...use the timing and tones to add ...meanings and emotional impact to our... thoughts being shared.

[Rita L. Sev]

Your words draw such accurate pictures, both tangible and emotional. There is not a sense untouched here, Chris...

[Ruth]

You are one of the few reasons I actually stay at WC...if I vanish off this earth in the next hour then I would still be smiling because you have proved time and time again how words can hold elegance and shine! Good to absorb you for a while again sweetheart, be well xx

[Ruhoun Q. Geins]

Do you remember those black and white noir films with melodramatic voice overs? This one had the same feeling. I pictured a scene of a guy, sitting by the bar, smoking his cigar and taking sips on his glass of bourbon on rocks.

[Chris]

Such a good vision... and Jack Daniels has just the right - taste. A cigar though is a bit too removed, too cold and distant ...least for me - with Bourbon. Now if you had said a good, single malt Scotch...

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

This was very creative. I'm fascinated by the change in your usual form, and the way that you got to the heart of the issue...the thing that we are all missing; connection! Everyone seems to run about, go on with their lives, deal with problems, entertain joys (when they occur), but it is as if something is missing...that "important" something. I find that in poetry; that thing that really means something to me...being able to see inside of another person deeper than I would normally be able to.

Great metaphorically...I like the deeper meaning here, and the way that you used your word choice and unorthodox style was great. Well done.