You Stopped

A poem about a real situation that scare the @#$%! out of me.

 

You stopped aiming

at long life

once your heart hinted

at other outcomes.

At forty-eight you knew

your uncles had not

fared well, and you,

never arrogant,

did not plan more.

 

Your hopes narrowed –

a cared for wife,

sons married well,

grandkids who stayed close;

recalling your youth’s

Brooklyn landmarks,

abundant cousins,

food, love, family.

 

                                     

 

As your path’s end looms,

pain a swelling crescendo,

poking cracks in

dykes of medicine,

and your strength leaks out

silent as 3 A.M.

you guess what road

you travel, but you

won’t speak it, not yet.

 

David P. Eckert

Reviews

[Poeticpiers]

Nicely presented train of thought outlining life as you see it.Accurate in that we all face the inevitable death what counts is what we do with the time we have

[Bubo]

and your strength leaks out

silent as 3 A.M.

you guess what road

you travel, but you

won't speak it, not yet.



Stunning.........with great underlying feeling of an end, life that has passed and been left behind......this was a very strong read, the words very powerful, I guess when we die our strenght does leak out........and we are left behind knowing one day we will travel the same road.

[thecoolone52]

ohhhh that was good i liked it

[Gandré]

I liked this very much , I am glad you reposted. you speak so lovingly about your father. I am not sure if I will be ever able to have such feelings for my family.

[J. Hampton]

When our heros ail ...even at the exhale of a satisfying life
it is alarming.We grapple to find miracles to stuff in the "dykes of medicine"
Even more alarming is when our heros entertain accepting their own death.

We tend to avoid discussing our eternal rest with others ...leaving some with eternal unanswered questions.

"dykes of medicine"...wonderful metaphor

and


"your strength leaks out

silent as 3 A.M."........fantastic !

Blessssssssssss

[[untitled]]

i loved this poem

[Gandré]

you was revealing a characterization with the finest detail. amazing and moving.

[Krystal Waters]

Touching, moving, chilling and so very sad... You are waiting for your father to come to you in a dream... I think he will. Just as my twin did. You too will get that chance. Ask him how my twin is... *HUGS*


Krystal

[Kara Emily Krantz]

::Sigh::

this is bittersweet....

there is a tender, slow surety to this piece... that i really like.

it's a poem of acceptance, and yet... ::sigh::

very well written.

hugs

[T. L. O'Neal]

I read this as the twilight of a rather youthful middle-age life with a genetic heart problem preparing for death. He's got his ducks in a row so to speak, and resolved to the fact that his time was up. It was well written David, and tender. T