empathy

Heaviness compiles there

then north into the larynx of a moment,

stifling the instinct of reaction

until poof the mood is set,

harps perish under the drip drop tears

collecting in the softness of her voice.

I wonder if voyeurs are gathering now,

but I cannot remove the door remaining closed

or bare the vision of another gray and dry pursed tsk-tsk

from eyes withering away.

No one understands (how cliché is self pity run riot)

Only the souring whimper of her sobs

crossing her now drooping and moistening 

draw my heart to ache,

the way my heart has never ached 

while the drip drop of pearly tears

fall gently and crash in thuds 

against my empathy. 

They feather flight a way down

against the sailing crosswinds 

of my compassion futile. In this chorus,

my verse has become displaced,

no melody to be found any longer,

the meter is now all wrong.

So I here alone and there she alone

sit in cities adrift in inconsolable throws

while searching for a countermelody

reasonably resounding in the earpiece 

of a nearly adequate simile.

This pitiful mark left not approached.

These irresistible hearts gripping nothing yet.

Reviews

[kublakhan27]

You've as good a poet as anyone I've had the pleasure of reading in quite some time...no critique necessary, this is brilliant from start to finish.

[BlackRose]

Brilliant write! Words as a masterpiece on blank canvas colored and have formed something so spectacular. Emotions shown very well and powerful on the empathy here.

[paddy d daly]

Beautiful poem, love the drip drop tears line and later the repeat adding pearly tears, great write and the title suits....

[Perdition]

Man I want to put this one into the "abstract" column but it just keeps ringing too real and perfectly empathetic in its non-empathetic charge. You took a deep freaking breath on this one and delivered it quite well with style. I read it through a bullhorn pressed up against a locked keyhole btw...works well!
Seriously though...a great write. Thanks.

[Mia Sparrow]

i find empathy to be suspect in its assumptions. can anyone really be empathetic, love being extraneous to such assertion. the only thing that applies here is the cliche. i don't welcome anyone to my throes. there's at least honesty in apathy than there is in empathy. excellent display of sincerity.

[m.s.early]

Of course there is honesty in empathy. A true lover is responsive when the other feels. Enduring pain does not have understood. Empathy is the universe injecting one's heart with the emotions of one's lover.

[lost girl]

I am not sure if I have ever heard it explained like this....it is startling, beautiful, sad, breathtaking,&heartbreaking ....all at the same time. Each word that you write molds so much soul. Peace be with you my friend and some relief from an empathic nature. Bravo on this excellent piece!

[Bright Ocean Star]

"Heaviness compiles there then north into the larynx of a moment"
Harps perish into the drip drop tears collecting in the softness of her voice"

Xavier, this is pure genius. I love the way you play with words to use them maximally, uniquely, and indelibly. They melt and burn themselves into our mind and stay there to linger for hours. You've masterfully captured this terribly difficult, tumultuous moment in time when a beloved girlfriend or wife is breaking up with you or vice versa. I have memories of this moment myself, yet never could have written such a poignant description of this time as you have. 100/100