A Drop In The Ocean

 

A drop of me in the ocean of you,

I drowned in the summer of eighty-four.

In the rose of pink and the sky of blue,

I opened myself as you closed the door.

 

I dared to dance on the edge of your name

and struck my heels against the setting sun

as the stem of innocence burst in flame

and two hearts for a moment beat as one.

 

I caressed the curve of your dimpled smile

and attentively gazed into your eyes

so still in the moment, so breathless, while

my heart was suffused with euphoric sighs.

 

There was blood in the sky and Purple Rain

and sad doves crying who suffered with ease

whose tear-stained wings were uplifted in vain

beneath the shadow of tenebrous trees.

 

The fireflies flickered, and we watched their light.

They numbered the pages of poetry.

I flowered beside you the palest white

never knowing you were a part of me.

 

After all these years, I am haunted still,

haunted by sweet, suffering devotion.

Though I wish it, I do not have the will

to be more than a drop in your ocean.

Author's Note

Reviews

[emmajoy]

So utterly beautiful in both content and style, in composition and ooh la! emotion, Linda. Those memories, precious gold from past and still near untarnished! Guess we're all etched by certain people, certain happenings from the past. This is so wonderful:

'There was blood in the sky and Purple Rain ~ and sad doves crying who suffered with ease ~ whose tear-stained wings were uplifted in vain ~ beneath the shadow of tenebrous trees.'

Always touched by that song, feel the same about your write.

[wordman]

purple rain and a drop in the ocean such a sad write but I enjoyed the read

[Jay Steitler]

I've recently had the painful experience of being taken for granted. I can very much relate to this piece. Incredible depth. Nice closure on the composition, as well.

[A. Amos]

Linda my friend you know exactly what your doing, when it's comes to poetry you are a star.
Al the best

[Trace]

In this poem you have written a wonderful story of a glimps into your life
i most enjoyed how you started and ended with the theme.

Very nicely done.
Trace

[00000000000000000000000..]

Wow this was very beautiful and I felt tears in the wind reading it, Was very powerful and moving:) Thank you for sharing this wonderful write:)

[Carl Drake Barnard]

what a lovely piece,so much feeling! I love the depth you created really powerful piece well done :)

[Michelle N. H.]

I nearly began to cry reading this.. I'm so happy to have stumbled upon your poetry, it truly resonates with me. Your talent for writing is remarkable. You paint lasting images with your words. I shall return to your page every so often to have a read. Thank you for sharing the art :)

[Angi]

Oh Linda! Prince's album (and movie!) came out in 1984. I was one of the first ones in line to buy it. I loved seeing the reference to that and to the sad doves crying. My first love happened around this time, too. I was so young. It was just a Freshman and he broke my heart. I still think about him almost 30 years later. OMG. 30 years! This poem pours all of those tender feelings out on the page. The flow and rhythm are spot on. I really, really like this piece. Angi~

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Same here. I was 15 years old, and all of this happened right before I ran away from home, leaving Virginia, to wind up in Manhattan of all places! I love the thought of that lost innocence and blood (red) in the sky (blue) creating purple (red and blue mixed together) rain. It just coincides so perfectly with that time in my life, and it is one of the best soundtracks ever created in my opinion. I'm glad that you could tie this poem to your life in such a personal way.

[Kirsten Kvaale]

"Never knowig you were a part of me" is such a beautiful line, I feel I can relate to this poem in so many differen ways. Very beautiful!