Rancid Memories

Memories, of happier times,

of love and warmth and tenderness

turn rancid and decompose;

a hallucination at best; a nightmare:

what is love, after all, but an untamed incubus?

 

When falling in love, or for love, take care

that in falling you do not step in it.

No matter how effort is expended,

one cannot clean it off - its residue permeates

and lingers still, poisoning a fitful slumber.

 

Yet always the hot headed and passionate

will brook no deviation from this weary and

well-trodden path. Obstinate until death that

love cures all; there is no cold compress to

cool rampant ardour available.

 

Birth of romance; the afterbirth: a relationship.

Shattered hearts are signposts of un-navigable waters

littered with floating corpses of the naive.

No, these memories are transient and dispossessed;

itinerant thieves of hearts and soul.

Reviews

[...]

. very brutal ... very, very brutal ... but brilliantly written ... sometimes i think the purpose of these memories is to inspire mesmerizing poetry and powerful expression ... just so the reader knows ... that it was the experience behind the words that was poetic ... even if it ended ... or seems to have ended ... whichever the case ...

[Peony]

This is sad, with a ripe strip of warning that I think we can all relate to somehow. Impressive work!

[MS. BABy]

I love this piece and the virbiage is awesome.

[Catherine Parks]

This is the first poem of yours I have read, the way you write your words creates the kind of sentences I find myself lost in, from that I plan to read more. I like this very much.

[Muse]

Your word play and vocab is fantastic! But I see that you were once an English teacher, so you have an unfair advantage here. :) Thanks for the friend request, be sure to send over some RR's, I look forward to reading some more.
Muse

[Poetic Beauty]

The last two stanza capture what it is like when love leaves us standing at an open door with only memories to play out better days.

[Tasha]

You captured love well, it was amazing.
♥ Ta'Shandra

[miSS LEaf]

Clearly, you are an artist

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

The way you used the words made this poem strong and vivid! Excellent

[Victoria PoetryBunny]

i enjoyed this u captured love well with its effects, really great