Once Were Nevermore

If he is broken, he will break you too.

You came back into my life broken,

pieced together, half-shell of a man,

speaking words never before spoken

with the semblance of a sacristan.

Your words were a desperate echo,

a hollow heart with the ring of truth.

I wanted to believe so let go

of the harbingers that stained our youth.

 

My love for you blossomed - blissful, bright.

I loved you so hard and without shame,

tried to fix the wrongs and make them right.

The song of my soul was in your name.

Your smile, your eyes, and your handsome face

were dearer to me than my own breath.

In every part of me, I can trace

a pathway straight to you, life and death.

 

Looking back, I can see I was wrong.

You were one of the great unmended.

I loved you too hard and stayed too long;

and finally, this love is ended.

We are whispers, once were nevermore,

two birds flailing in a winter sky

with weak wings dampened forevermore

by the rain that falls from heaven’s eye.

Author's Note

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

We like to believe everyone deserves a second chance, and then someone comes along who makes us question that belief. I like the term "the great unmended," for there are a lot of wounded souls whose self fixation is so intense they don't think about the harm they do to others. The addressee in this work seems to fit the description. We can only regard our interactions with these people as lessons. Good storytelling here, and the rhyme and meter were both excellent.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, John. You are indeed correct. My advice to him when I broke up with him is that he "needed to heal himself" before trying to involve anyone else in his life. It was unfair of him to re-enter my life when he wasn't ready. Even worse was for him to lie and pretend otherwise. It's the lowest thing that a person can do is to deliberately lie and hurt another. I'll never understand it.

[Ken Simm.]

I love everything about this beautifully constructed piece of biographical romance. So many great and memorable parts with a real taste of wisdom. Excellent piece.

[willweb]

"the great unmended" I really like that portion though the entire poem is wonderful. It is hard to change someone who doesn't want to be changed. They may say they do, and the love shown at times may cause them to move down that path but in the end...it is hard to change someone. Your poem speaks truth and love and sadness in the end. Beautifull written.

[Chris Shaw]

Your narrative style is first rate and you convey emotion so well Linda. There is much heartache in these lines, but also a hard lesson learned. Some people can drain the life and soul out of you. Sadly you met one of them.

Chris

[Kelly Scheppers]

There is some good to be found within the heartache and pain you went through, and that was the angst and hurt that went into this poem. It made you a survivor. Your narration was as stark and compelling as the image. I loved it! Very impressive, Linda!