Hell and High Water

Sitting on the riverbank

no emotion, no friend

watching the red,

as the sun dies again.

Your promise was only

the hurt inside my head.

I knew I should've called her

come my hell, come high water.

wanderer who can't stay,

living in the way,

from this burning falter

coming hell and high water.

If I walk long enough

when the talk gets rough

when it gets so much hotter...

here comes hell, and high water.

She took the lonely pains

I got light graceful chains

from this Earth Mother's daughter...

But I wanted hell, my high water.

If I could make myself

stay on your shelf

I'd start to totter

come hell, come high water.

I'm crazy to leave

so please, don't grieve

for this wanderer...

He's got hell, he's got high water.

I shouldn't let go

I should hang on you know

Never let go, or falter

come hell or high water.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

"She took the lonely pains
I got light graceful chains
from this Earth Mother's daughter...
But I wanted hell, my high water."
I like the term "come hell or high water."
I like the flow of thoughts and the strong ending. I wanted hell and to test life till I was 35 year old. I'm glad i did. Thank you for the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Mockingbird]

sometimes we don't always choose what's best for us. it's inevitable that we hurt people along the way, and getting hurt as well. we can't ignore who we are inside, so if you're a wanderer then you must move on for better or worse. great poem.

[Mark]

I often boggle at the push and pull of companionship, we want it, but we want it only on our terms and in our way... no compromise. Being with someone we see how the price costs us, being without, we only see how lonely it can be.

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Your promise was only the hurt inside my head, wonderful piece Mark :)

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

To me, your first stanza sets the scene for the unfolding of this piece beautifully. I can see you there...your images ring with the resolution, the repetition, the loneliness of
"watching the red,
as the sun dies again." The word "again" says so much...as if another day (however long) has played out and gone.
I feel in this your desire to be able to love those "light graceful chains" but even at the relief of your pain, there is a part of you to which any chain is too much.
In the final stanza, your repetition of "should" is lonely to me. How often do we know what we "should" do, what we wish we could want to do, yet in search of some truth only we know, we cannot. Just my take. I enjoyed this.

[Southern Cross]

Again, I get caught up in your words. The rhythm pounds along like a drummer 's beat or a magical chat...words so honest and pure, so masculine in their emotions. I look forward to your poems, "come hell or high water"