People

tribute to the dead...

People

i see their lives laid out in a straight line
there are beginnings and ends
midpoints and trails off the beaten path.
i see plot holes, and misguided steps into deep trenches
i see laughter, cries, and hollowed out hearts where some love of theirs left them for something else,
someone else.
i see battle scars, tears in their favorite tee shirts, or the lack thereof.
i see some of them climbing out of baths, stretching their arms to the furthest distance to their towel,
i see some running around, splashing through mud, sometimes for fun, other
times because they have to.
i see some unclothed, no shoes, unclean hair, hands and feet.
i see some with mothers and fathers, either, or neither by choice or circumstance.
i see some blowing kisses, spitting curses; or
complete silence.
i see some lending a hand to their fellow man, or pushing him back into the dirt he came from.
i see some in quiet corners, some in busy neighborhoods; some escaping
the landlocked atrocities to be with their god in perfect matrimony.
i see some too young to know about the world around them, some
old enough that the world is so commonplace,
last year’s trend.
i see some in the arms of someone they belong to, others
holding onto themselves; that’s the only home they've ever known.

some going to heaven, hell or in between.
some stuck here on earth in wavering and invisible appearances.
some haunting everyday objects,
some disguised as the wind in trees,
some whispering in my ear, telling me secrets-
how the world was formed, is there life after death, should i invest in Kodak-

sometimes there is only humming i hear,
and the tune is more than just familiar.

Sometimes when I close my eyes, their faces project onto the inner eyelids.
Smiles on their lips as they are simply just there.
Their stares are heartening, saddening, maddening.

I wish I could close my eyes and see darkness, not these misty projections.
I wish I could close my eyes and imagine they were still with me.
I wish I could talk back to them, explain how I feel, bring them back to the here and now.
Take them off of their clouds, out of their fiery pits, or limbo waiting rooms.
I wish I knew if they could really see me- small, in an empty room.
I wish they knew that I thought of them often, taking each
and every passing as if they were stab wounds
into my heart, chest,
my flesh.

I wish I could deliver them back to the ones that loved them,
sitting in old wooden chairs remembering a time when life was good.

I wish i didn’t feel the sting of heartbreak as if I knew them so tenderheartedly:

I do not know you;
I have never met you;

I love you

Author's Note

what do you think?

Reviews

[Aaron Parker]

Positive: Some of the interpretations I got from this were really good. I love the voice and style that you write with. The length of the poem was perfect. Some of the language was God-like, omnipotent, and then it seemed to change to a human-like narrator. Very interesting. It made me consider the poem in pieces. The imagery with eyelids was superb! Natural writing and writing that can be personalized is the best kind. It's so easy to envision exactly what you were talking about, in literal terms and metaphorical. I didn't really understand the title until the end, returning loved ones. Returning pain, misery. It's a good poem, but it definitely could use a tune up.

Negative: You should capitalize the start of each line. I don't know if it was a poetic choice or not, but I would personally prefer each line to be capitalized. Don't write poetry so directly. It's supposed to be about interpretation. I believe I should always be capitalized. I realized "Should I invest in Kodak" was a sort of epigram, but it did throw a lot off. Unless I misread, the note at the end seemed a little immature, you don't love me, I'm your reader, I'm supposed to love you.

[Regina K. Pride]

Thank you for reviewing this. I really needed it. It's hard to try editing myself when I'm so close to the poem. I didn't capitalize the "I's" to kind of take the attention off my self, putting the people above me type of thing, but I understand if that wasn't clear. Also the note at the end is supposed to be to the dead, but I will definitely change it to make it more clear who the audience is for that line. Thank you so much again!

[Aaron Parker]

No problem. Haha. I agree! OH! NO, now I understand the poetic choice. It was good. OH! That makes total sense. It makes sense when you mention it, but not when I read it. Thanks for clarifying!