Roots beneath the quiet

I stand in a forest, the trees are my fears,
Their branches whisper doubt, their roots clutch my tears.
The moon hides its face behind clouds of despair,
And the stars, once my guides, have vanished somewhere.

My heart is a bird trapped in a cage of stone,
Its song turns to silence, its joy overthrown.
The warmth I once clung to, a shelter, a sun,
Feels distant, like echoes when the day is done.

I pour out my soul into rivers of thought,
But they lead to an ocean where love is forgot.
The waves crash around me, relentless and wild,
I’m lost in the tempest, no longer a child.

I build walls of courage, but they crumble in shame,
The flames of my longing are a flickering flame.
I hold to the hand, still steady, still true,
But its grip feels lighter, as if I’ve turned blue.

If only the wind could carry my plea,
To the place where my hope might still wait for me.
Yet even in darkness, the seeds still abide,
And perhaps in the shadows, love learns where to hide.

So I plant my own garden, though the soil is thin,
And water it daily with strength from within.
For all that I seek, the care I once knew,
Is the warmth of belonging, tender and true.

Reviews

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

this was really good! the first stanza captured my attention. the scenery was very well described and connecting the imagery with the persona's emotions was effortless. the whole poem was smooth, the rhymes were very clever and i wanted to keep reading.
that is the style, but there is also substance to this work. in these six stanzas, the persona first admits to himself what he is feeling, then processes it, and finally finds a way to console himself. self-soothing is a skill taught in clinical psychology, but its creative writing where people really learn life's most important lessons.
thank you for sharing this.

[Webster]

Thank you so much Ern!

[Betty Hermelee]

longing for some hope, some respite from your sorrowful predicament...when we feel this way... it seems like a long climb to enlightenment...we tend to grasp at anything that will lift us up....even "loves knows where to hide"...among others...I believe you are trying to find companionship and belonging,
as we all hope to have... .thank you for sharing
Warmly, B

[Webster]

Thank you Betty☺️

[Betty Hermelee]

A pleasure to read
Warmly, B

[Chris Shaw]

It’s a long while since I read you Webster. You have come along way. Truly beautiful
poetry. Touches the emotions, wonderful imagery and use of metaphor. A lovely piece. Pleased I stopped by.

Chris

[Webster]

Thank you so much Chris! Always a pleasure to hear your reviews.