A Thousand Miles Behind

Most of love is lost.

I saw in you the best of me,

twin souls united set aflame.

I loved too much and could not see

that you and I were not the same

 

I had high hopes in all the good.

The scented roses filled my head;

and though I loved, you never could.

The perfumed petals faded - dead.

 

The ashes whisper of my loss.

Teardrops glisten on guitar strings.

Love is at once a curse and cross

and foolishly endures all things.

 

I walk my way towards the light.

A peaceful silence fills my mind.

The past is past; the future bright.

You are a thousand miles behind.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

This dear Linda is a heart breaker. It is a reminder of my first marriage. Your first stanza summed up the situation perfectly. I was blind to his faults and there were many. I only saw the good side of him which I magnified. He is a long way in the past now. On the few occasions we meet at funerals or weddings I see a stranger and thank my lucky stars he left. You have an amazing ability in your writing to connect deeply. Thank you for the gift of your poetry.

Chris

[FGFRANKLIN]

They say that opposites attract. I don't know if that is necessarily true but I do believe that complementary personalities are a necessity to sustaining a relationship. Nobody wants life to be an endless war or unending battle. So being "the same" might not be something to be relished or expected. After all, we are all individuals. But there are boundaries to what a relationship can and should endure. I like to say that everyone is crazy. The trick to finding a happy relationship is finding someone whose insanity you can endure or even cherish within the parameters of your own. I don't know how my wife tolerates my idiosyncrasies but I do know she loves me. And I love her more than life. Are we "perfect" for each other? Not by far but we aren't going to kill each other either. (laughing) It's not that we've "settled" for one another but rather come to appreciate our individual differences as the platform of a unified front. We are a team, not two separate players alone in the world. Sometimes I need a "goal assist" and sometimes she makes the winning shot. Either way, it's wonderful to know she's always on my side and in my corner. I feel the sadness and disappointment in this piece. The failed expectation is palpable. A truly moving write, F.

[FGFRANKLIN]

Oh, incidentally, A Thousand Miles Behind is a song collaboration between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. You can find it on YouTube if you're interested. It's posted as "1000 Miles Behind". I just thought you might be amused by that.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Fabian. I didn't know that. It's funny though because the initial title for this poem was A Thousand Smiles Behind. At the last minute, I changed it; and to be honest, I think I prefer the original. I just pulled up the video of the song on YouTube. Wow! That is an oldie. Johnny Cash was before my time, and I have never liked the sound of Bob Dylan's voice. Thanks for sharing it with me. Poor Johnny seemed so broken at the end. That song, "Hurt" was so sad.

[FGFRANKLIN]

Cash did more for the music industry than any other performer in the history of music, including The Beatles and Elvis. His presence transcended all genres of music. His "country" TV show hosted people like Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Eric Clapton at the beginning of their careers. The song Hurt he recorded was by Trent Reznor on Nine Inch Nails. When Trent was asked what he thought about Johnny Cash recording his song he said, "It belongs to Cash now. Anything Johnny Cash records belongs to him."

[Lisasview]

Oh my goodness, this one gave me chills... I felt like shouting bravo for moving on.
When love is not shared it just isn't really love (my opinion)
No use wallowing in the sorrow,
Lisa

[willweb]

The poem is so cool, I love just about everything in this but that last line/the title... really cool. Though once again I felt the loss in this, the love that didn't work out. Happily, there is a light at the end and it is bright and it is beautiful. You are very talented Linda Marie.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

A passion piece filled with the expectation of love but in the end only left with its yearning. I've always believed about this emotion that you can only control the love you are willing to give, never the way it shall be returned, if at all. This piece is relevant to any heart that has ever loved.

[Ladysue]

This reads like a song. Playing away the blues. I love that. Music is healing. Think we all can relate to this poem. Loved these lines ‘ Teardrops glisten on guitar strings‘ ‘The past is past; the future bright. You are a thousand miles behind’ beautiful written.