Winter of Our Discontent

...of love lost

Winter of our Discontent

 

 

 Winter just wasn’t our season.

After sorting through a mass collection

of Zeppelin albums

and a flash drive of wedded bliss,

we said goodbye.

 

Goodbye

to twenty plus years

of family reunions and Christmas traditions,

to crisp November mornings

of breakfast in bed

with three cats at our feet

and a house with no mortgage.

 

What’s yours what’s mine­­­­

now lies dissected

in a dichotomy of cardboard boxes,

 

categorically defined

like the high thread count of sheets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

The closing line about the high thread count of sheets, I have used before...but I think it bears repeating here.

Reviews

[willweb]

I realize this is an older poem but the, disappointment, yes, that is the word, the disappointment that I feel in this poem empties me. Just to imagine this, to see this playout in a mirror, to reflect on how this must have felt or is still felt and those cardboard boxes, now I am sure worn on the edges and not standing as erect as when first filled. I felt all of this in your poem. Your words my friend live and breathe and touch and dream. Bravo!

[Kelly Scheppers]

I think some of my poetry has a pulse, at least it feels that way to me after I write them. How fortunate I am to have those feelings reciprocated. You are most kind, Will. Thank you!

[kentuck14]

Again, a well done poem. Sad and meditative, but how true to life sometimes. OH, where does love go . . .

[Kelly Scheppers]

So glad you enjoyed this one, Tom. Thank you!

[alanwgraham]

On dear Kelly. How many times have these Zeppelin Albums been counted? Yet they count for nothing beside all the other memories. And how do you divide three c ats by two?
My heart goes out to all involved in these sad separation s. Very well expressed!
All the best.
Alan

[Kelly Scheppers]

...thank you so much, Alan!

[Stella Armour]

The end of a chapter,and the sharing out of what remains... only material things.
I must admit i only took my children and my dog, i didn't want anything to remind me of the yesterdays.
I must admit Kelly i had never heard the expression "high thread count of sheets " before, but now i understand what you mean..

[Kelly Scheppers]

Lol, some people will sleep on nothing less...the higher the thread count, the better. It was just a trivial thing that was defined to parallel the loss. Thank you, Stella!

[Stella Armour]

maybe more of an American thing Kelly, i had never heard of it but i do see the parallel

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ah a place where many have been. Love the way you seem to capture the exasperation and the futility left behind Kelly. Sublime lines 'a dichotomy of cardboard boxes' and 'categorically defined like the high thread count of sheets'.

[Kelly Scheppers]

I've never been in such a situation. It was all hypothetical for me. Thanks so much, John!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Glad to hear you used poetic licence here dear Kelly.

[AllenS]

"Disected in a diacotomy of boxes" What a great line. I remember standing over the stuff as though a corpse.

[Kelly Scheppers]

I make these challenges for myself, taking unusual words and writing a poem with them. "Dichotomy" was my word of choice here. So glad it caught your eye, Allen!

[AllenS]

Yes, perceptive. Saying goodbye has a panorama of moments when one reflects.

[Kelly Scheppers]

Very well said, Allen. Thank you!

[Rye]

Hmm, Zeppelin, cardboard boxes, High thread of count sheets, all had me intrigued...
A very creative well written write

[Kelly Scheppers]

I think it made for a nice cohesive mix. Thank you, Rye!

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

This is a devastatingly beautiful poem dear Kelly, I understand with every inch of me. Been there. Been there. Your lines are stark and sad against the cold light. Worse in winter by far. “Lies dissected”- brilliant- let’s get to the dealing out of memories. Part of your heart dies, the world stops, but the body still lives- did it not get the message? Well, glad it didn’t. We live past it and we love again. I got all the Beatles albums-my triumph! Never fear, never lose hope, Summer will come again. Xoxo

[Kelly Scheppers]

This was pretty much a fabrication on my part. I had a friend go through a divorce with children years ago, and it left quite an impression. So, you got ALL the Beatles albums? Lol, good for you!! Thanks, my friend! xo

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

So glad this is not about you dear Kelly- you did such a believable and awesome job with it. Yes I got ‘em all! Love ya’! Xo

[Moonie]

Ooh dividing the Zeppelin albums sounds rough. I happen to be a big fan here btw!
I think the last lines stitch the entire poem well, and it doesn't matter honestly if you're reusing them from an older poem. I love how you assign importance to simple objects in the poem...also, I generally prefer rhymes over freestyle, but this one has an amazing flow! Chopping the sentences short, and making sure every phrase is as vivid as possible really builds a good flow for poems that lack a rhyme scheme.
I loved " dissected
in a dichotomy of cardboard boxes."

[Kelly Scheppers]

I had this urge to write a poem with the word, "dichotomy" in it. I like challenging myself every now and again. So thrilled it spoke to you! Many thanks for a wonderful, insightful review!