On You, Across The Table

We all want to believe our children will love us
Hold us, kiss us, stay with us,
and wrap their little hands around our fingers
Big eyes watch big people with big love

But they're a squirmy type
Run away, out of our arms
No matter how far we stretch

Exploring dust bunnies in corners
Carrying shoes to bury in the sand box
They all, will all, run away

And you see then,
Perhaps they are not yours.

Individuals behind those big eyes
And we, again, are left to watch
Like past loves left,
Mother, fathers, gone,
And a thousand friends,
drifted away

We own no one,
Our children owe nothing
And we will all realize how little we are
How alone we are

And in that we must find some happiness
We must find some truth
For them, for us,
For you

Reviews

[Nathan Strange]

Hey man, Charles, I've never read much of your stuff and I'm not gonna blow sunshine up your arse as you are the owner of the website. Let me tell you something pal, this is f*****g good mate. It sums up how I feel at the moment! I'm just sitting in front of my computer screen waiting for the computer to speak to me, waiting for reviews. I'm too tired to review at the moment, I can't think let alone read!
I have a beer in front of me sitting by the keyboard. My forehead is creased up, my eyes black, yet I sit here endlessly, waiting for inspiration to write something. I have this dying urge to want to produce just something, even if it's tedious, yet I know that I'm in no state of mind to write anything half decent.
I saw you were on line and thought, let me read something of Charles's for once. He is responsible for this site. Well man your words spoke to me, that last stanza;

Unable to maintain this moment
This connection
This intimacy
Required to record it
Such is the curse of a writer

[Creepy Swine Guy]

"Such is the curse of a writer
The pretense of an author
Who wills away days
Writing, and believing
It's more important than living"

[raising hand] Guilty as charged.

I enjoyed this as it reminds me very much of the relationship that I share with my ladyfriend. We often sit in silence, she with her words, me with mine, enjoying the deafaning silence and the company of one another.

[Sarah Williams]

Wow...an incredible piece. I think this is one of my new favorites!

"Such is the curse of a writer
The pretense of an author
Who wills away days
Writing, and believing
It's more important than living"

This speaks volumes!

[Lyttleton]

I've never read your poetry, man (that I know of... but my memory isn't always that great... you know).
I like your style, it feels very natural, the voice of someone who is accustomed to observing his world and making connections in the mind... in other words, a writer.
I like the line "The pretense of an author" and even more, I like it as a title for a poem.
The last stanza actually takes me to a whole 'nother place than the first three... not that it doesn't connect with the rest of the poem (it does), just that it seems to beg for more to be said.
The scene is familiar, and I appreciate you taking me back to one of those old memories of days sitting around coffee shop or bar tables, with my poetry notebook in hand and stumbling awkwardly for conversation with someone I wanted to be with a little too much... or wanted to be with too little.

Hey, who knew, you're good at something other than taking shots ;)

[Jaime Street]

I'm so glad you read for us...and this is a really striking piece. speak up more, you should already know the impact your voice has.

[Amber Victoria Tudor]

This is so simple but paints a picture of two people sharing a moment, connecting on a level that is understood by them. The last stanza breaks the trance of this connection as the speaker diverts to what is really important to him. I am still deciding whether I like the break from the trance. Either way I really enjoyed this.

[Shannon Drake]

amazing.
loved it.

sorry i dont have much to say, i dont really have any insight on this one.. all i can say it.. i loved it. [:

[Maria G.]

Yep definetly feeling this one, this writing business is so addictive keeps me up too late and neglecting other things..

great piece..

[C Lee]

the last two lines, i echo that sentiment. god this was an awesome piece.

[JlB]

Wow, I felt the table shaking thats good,

I like this one alot;
everything about this one was wonderful

JlB

[Ilene M.W. Lush]

Such is the curse of a writer
The pretense of an author
Who wills away days
Writing, and believing
It's more important than living