The Shelf of Sadness

I was going to write a sad poem

But my nephew shot himself

So I'll guess I'll wait 'til later

And I put it on the shelf

I finally took it down today

But before I started to write

I got a call from a friend of mine

His daughter died last night

So on the shelf it went once more

To wait 'til grief has passed

Again I took the paper down

To write my sorrow at last

But as my muse began to cry

A knock came at my door

A neighbor came to me in tears

Her husband killed in the war

I never wrote that sad poem

It sits upon the shelf

Sadness needs no poet at all

It somehow writes itself

Reviews

[Akshita]

This one's a wonderful piece....loved it....especially these lines:
I never wrote that sad poem
It sits upon the shelf
Sadness needs no poet at all
It somehow writes itself

[Whiskurz]

Thank you my friend.....Whisk

[Lizzie Mitchell]

this is very true
i found this bluntly meloncholy and ironic

[Whiskurz]

Thank you Lizzy.....Whisk

[Em]

This poem was so beautifully written.
I really love it.
I love the last two lines, they are perfect.
I really just love this so much.

[Whiskurz]

Thank you Em.....Whisk

[Muse]

ache yes..poetry seems to have it's own Muse. When overwhelmed, I find myself without words.

However, I don't think there's a book large enough to house all of our earthly pain...we can only hope that in the next life...the book of eternal bliss will write itself with no past...no ending...only a happy feel good future.

[Whiskurz]

We can only hope my friend.....Thanks Muse....Whisk

[McNamara]

This is really special, an idea presented so beautifully and feelings accessible to understand but if you want to look that much closer you could read it over and over and it would provide you that much more. Your ideas are so well realised and focused.

[Whiskurz]

Thank you McNamara.....Whisk

[Renée]

Oh Dear Whisk...it is just like that & the sorrow in this piece is just more than a shelf of sadness... a shelf of grief you shared...

[Whiskurz]

Thanks Renée.....Whisk

[Renée]

my pleasure Whiskie ( ;

[Green]

This was really powerful. I liked how you wrote it to seem like it was happening and then with the moral or whatever you want to call it at the end. It had more of an effect that way.

[Whiskurz]

Thanks my friend.....Whisk

[Quill~]

Life is short and some must endure heartache too many times. Putting the pain on the shelf to wait for words to be written only seems to fester in grief. It hurts, but you must let it flow...and you did. Well penned.

[Whiskurz]

Thanks Quill.....Whisk

[Sheila Kline]

Oh my............this cuts me in half with pain!! Your words are like a hot knife!!
The ending lines are so very, very true....the tragic truth of it!!

[Whiskurz]

Thank you Sheila.....Whisk