my last poem

aiming and failing again

if these

were my last words

to you

 

I might remind you

to be honest

 

in the way

I never could be.

 

I might say

 

that your voice

is the most important thing

 

always remember

to care for it.

 

You may wonder

 

how

 

you will live without me

 

but you will find me again

when the wind

brushes your cheek dry--

 

when the night

wraps you in gentle arms

and lays you down.

 

I cannot be all I want

just now

 

But one day . . .

 

I will be more.

Author's Note

if I were to be eaten by a tiger or give up writing for good these would not be the words I would leave behind, my legacy's a little lumpy and this is not useful at all

Reviews

[TAO]

Not useful? Makosica is right; who among us really finds our work useful? And yet, you are greater than most. I can only second what Makosica has already said. When I read this, it reminds me of the piece you did for "The Poet's Voice", hearing you read it aloud. Very well done, Emily Burns. We stand in awe.

[Sarah J. Kelleher]

This is beautiful, Emily... And I agree, don't you even think about doing either of those. Your poem touched me, absolutely hit home... :)

[shythatway]

well.. don't you dare do either of those.. but those last three paragraphs i loved for very specific reasons em.

[Crowley]

Useful to me.....and extremely well written. Would hate for this to be your last.

[C.]

Not as bad as you think it is. The first stanza was perfectly crafted, although I'm not sure I liked the lonely "how" in the middle. It draws attention to itself and makes me wonder why it was constructed that way. "in the way / I never could be" I liked very much actually, despite the fact that it's been done before. The way you put it so stripped-down and bare bones-y was simple and refreshing.

[Poetic Beauty]

I like this poem. It makes you think about what you have to say and what you have to write. Thought provoking.

[W.k.kortas]

If we're eaten by tigers, all we leave behind is...well, what the tiger leaves behind. If this is lumpy and not particularly useful, than both of those conditions are significantly underrated.

[Jeff Loquist]

somehow i don't think this is or should be the last anyone hears from you...

[Robin]

I relate to this in how we search for inspiration , that flint against stone that will ignite our passion and bring forth our next creation .

[Helen Crutchett]

Lovely poem Emily. Deep and thoughtful. I liked this so much.