The Last Lime

A symbolic poem about love, loss, and resilience, "The Last Lime" uses the life of a lime tree to reflect the struggles and emotional journey of overcoming difficulties.

A lime tree named Efxaris

Once stood in an unknown time

Full of green, a masterpiece

She longed to grow, without a missing lime

The couple who grew her, through their strife

Knew deep down, they'd lost the light of life

Separation came through, with limes gone missing

Sixteen years of love now distant, dismissing

Efxaris, though loved and cared for

Was never watered as she deserved

She drank the salty water from the floor

Paying the price, losing limes she preserved

Many limes fell, but one remained

And she held it close for the love she’d gained

The mango tree, who once walked her twice

Had grown bored and took her last slice

The last lime fell from the tree

"That's it! I'm done with this life!" said she

Then, waking scared, with trembling breath,

She whispered, "It was all a bad dream, correct?"

Author's Note

This poem is a part of the competition "Your Life" initiated by the wonderful Martiya Daman. Thank you so much for the invite Martiya I'm super grateful to be able to express my feelings and my reality and compete for a prize!

Reviews

[Martiya Daman]

Thank you for the kind note Efxaris. Really, I enjoyed reading this! The hardwork the tree did (which was you) to save the last lime from falling. Although it fell "It was all a bad dream, correct?" shows that you see light in the dark of a dawn to get more. Lovely write, my friend!

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much for your lovely words Martiya!!!

[Twilight]

Hopefully, you will eventually see the light; as Martiya suggests.

[Beren]

how beautiful!!! i admire you!
i really loved it, perfect metaphor and use of words. It is truly admirable that you know yourself, are able to express yourself so well, and also convey this to your readers. this is one of the most beautiful poems i have ever read. i added it to my favorites. i really liked the ending. oh really. sorry i can't write much because i am a little sick i can't explain myself well and i'm sorry i can't explain to you how much i love this but i really loved it! please write more often

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much for your kind review!!!! I am so happy you loved it so much and that you added it to your favourites thank you!!!! You don't have to apologize you've written more than enough!!! Get well soon :)

[Betty Hermelee]

a very metaphoric piece… you bring this tree to life as a human with much pain and sorrow, one whose dream feels real….it seems that you have struggles with your family, whose own misgivings are clear… they neglected you in a way that hurt very much…. “ the last line fell from the tree”
“That’s it, I’m done with this life”.! A bad dream, but some dreams reflect reality..l.excellent!
Warmly, B🌷🌷🌷

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much for your kind review!!! You've understood the poem really well! :)

[Betty Hermelee]

You are most welcome!🌷
Warmly
B🌷

[...Relic...]

I've read some of your poems. You're a clever and talented writer. Glad to see you here.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it :)

[Thomas W Case]

Superb work. Powerful and well crafted.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much for the review! I really appreciate your kind words!

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

sometimes i read something that is at once heart-breaking yet also beautiful. this is a masterclass in parable. it is very hard for a reader to sympathise with a tree, but we read on even empathising with it (or her). i know a little bit about being deprived of love and attention. a hollowing out of the soul, the last lime falling. but i want to say again what a wonderful work of poetry this is. it is written with a very steady hand and a sharp imaginative mind. it's unique yet it does what all good poems do: induce empathy.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much! This poem was part of a contest where I had to write about my life (and I'm honoured to say that it won me the first place so I'm really glad I took part) and I already wanted to write about my life and compare it to something symbolic which is why I chose a lime tree and the whole point is that each lime is equal to a hope which is why when the last lime fell after the last horrible event, the tree is hopeless about life but thankfully in the end it was all a dream. Unfortunately in my real life these things and more that happened to me were not a just a bad dream but it's okay I have got over them and I'm super grateful to be able to express my feelings through writing on this platform!

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

you are a very strong person. im not sure i will ever get over the things ive experienced. but i will certainly be writing about them, and expressing these feelings does help.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Exactly! That is one of the reasons I joined WritersCafe, to express my feelings about past events so I can get over them, so this poem really helped me with that!

[Martiya Daman]

Dear Efxaris,
You won 1st position for your creativity and the pain you felt. Congrats!!! 🥳

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Wow!!! I am so honoured I cannot believe this!!! Thank you so much I am so thankful!!! :)

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Poet ... every Life is a Musical with base drums and violins to be played by Artists in a Charming Theatre on the Rhine. gently, Pat

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

I love your perspective!

[Twilight]

This is lovely and charming to read. As a tree needs nurturing and to be kept sufficient moist, in order to produce fruit; this young writer believes that her talent needs to be nurtured (to help it grow). Particularly, ahem; with an entry for one of Martiya's contests in mind.!

This develops with an increasingly sad tone, informing readers of what might befall the young writer; if her development is ignored rather than nurtured.

So in part, this is a tale of woe! And, ends with a verse - expressing the mindset of a young woman; reduced to despair and despondency.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

All of this is absolutely true! Thank you for your lovely words and for understanding pretty much every single poem I've ever posted!!!

[emmajoygreen]

Your poem is full of meaning, start to finish, metaphor full. That finish surprised me! You have a fine future before you, truly.

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

Thank you so much Emma!!! I really appreciate this review!!

[emmajoygreen]

Meant every word. :)