The Poetry Of Silence

The last breath floats to the stars.

Words crawl back into the shadows,

hidden behind a wall of doubt.

He knows, and she knows that he knows.

A light breeze blows the candle out.

 

Lips are silent against their will.

Stones rest heavy upon the tongue.

She loved him once and loves him still,

but their love song was never sung.

 

He failed to listen to her pleas

and could not find the words to say,

all the things to set her at ease,

to keep her from walking away.

 

He gazes as she bows her head,

her lips quivering as she cries.

He pushed her away, and she fled.

The waves are rising within her eyes.

 

Loving thoughts drown in misery.

She is numbed by the passing years.

Nothing absolves the history,

the broken trust, the grief, the tears.

 

There’s nothing now that he can say.

When he left, a part of her died.

Night always overtakes the day,

and it split her heart open wide.

 

The space between them eats her soul.

No life blooms on a fruitless tree.

Loss of his love consumes her whole.

The end is the end that must be.

 

Dead dreams dwindle into dust

like the end of a fairy tale.

The sun sets into shades of rust

on ties of an abandoned rail.

 

The wood is splintered like her heart.

The potter’s wheel forever sleeps.

There is no triumph for his part.

The poetry of silence weeps.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

The broken trust, the grief the tears. There is so much pain running through these stanzas. The love is still there on her part, yet the union is in the past. You always convey emotion beautifully Linda. Your lines touch deeply. Wonderful poetry as always. Happy Easter.

Chris

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, dear Chris. The lack of emotion is definitely not one of my shortcomings. :)

[Chris Shaw]

And your readers are grateful for it. We want to feel and we always do when you write :)

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Chris.

[Patricia Wedel]

It is amazing how Women are created to be fulfilled.
There are times when Men never learn the Art of Love...
Children need to learn from an early age to recognize
the beauty of Admiration. gently, Pat

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Pat. Good or bad, right or wrong, children learn from those who are supposed to teach - their parents. Unfortunately, there are more walking wounded around us than not. It's difficult for a child to learn from someone who is broken. They have to be determined to learn differently on their own. This takes time, sometimes a lifetime; and sometimes, they will never learn. Thank you for the beauty of your words. I appreciate you.

[John the Baptist]

The image of the breeze extinguishing the candle in verse one sets the tone for this one. This is not about young love, but on people looking back on a promising love that did not blossom. It was really a serious thing, but some misunderstanding broke it apart. The breach scarred both of them, but her in particular. Years later she cannot forget he was the one. Deeply moving piece, this one.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

You are always so insightful! Thank you, John.