What if you said a thing?

To a lost friend

 

 

 

What if you said a thing and it was taken wrong?

What if it hurt a friend and they said “Bye! So long!”

Could you endure the hurt, the pain that’s in your heart?

Would you make every effort to make a new start?

 

What if your way was blocked and found no way to talk?

What if you only could from a great distance gawk?

Would you be so upset that you’d pull out your hair?

Would you then scream and yell and your emotions bare?

 

What would you do? What would you think, if this were so?

Would you then flee? Would you shed tears and vent your woe?

This is the way it is with me, I’ve lost a friend.

Can’t talk to her, she just won’t hear—guess that’s the end!

 

It’s such a shame. I’m not like that. I thought she knew.

Comments inflamed by others into fire grew.

Misunderstood, an argument was not my plan

And then rebuked by others—I'm just not that man!

 

What if that’s it? What if that’s all? Goodbye, so long!

What if there’s no recourse despite them being wrong?

Well then my eyes will hold some tears for quite some time

I guess you can’t expect your life to be sublime.

 

So ‘guess that’s it! I guess that’s all. A friend is gone!

She’ll never hear my side of it with ears withdrawn

But what if there’s a way that I can write to her?

What if I could explain without my meaning blurred?

 

What if?

 

 

 

©2009 Richard Puetter

All right reserved

 

 

Reviews

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i really really hope this didn't actually happen... but this is a wonderful write... the pain really well-expressed... having lost so many friends this year..more cause of withdrawing my hand.. i can feel the other side of the poem too... sometimes we just mess it up and have no idea of why exactly did we do so...
but i guess it's worth making every possible effort... even bowing down..begging or just anything...

even if not to regain the friendship..we should give it our all and go beyond the norms just to regain the self-respect we were robbed offf, hurting someone so close....

it honestly made me feel warm... like re-igniting the dying anguish..yet somewhat comforting...

take care and please keep smiling... :)
Niki.. :)

[LatoyaEvans]

what if, I didnt read this Id be very sad. This was great.

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

A well written piece. So many times we worry about saying the wrong thing and end up saying nothing.

[Scott Free]

Great write, Rick. So heartfelt, it's impossible to substitute that.
I especially loved this stanza;
So 'guess that's it! I guess that's all. A friend is gone!
She'll never hear my side of it with ears withdrawn
But what if there's a way that I can write to her?
What if I could explain without my meaning blurred?

The meter flowed so well! The two it's were exactly placed to give it a little lilt.
The poems that are the best are the ones that are written from an experience like, what I imagine, you went/are going through.
These two end-of-stanza parts were a bit awkward;
Would you then scream and yell and your emotions bare?
and
Would you make every effort to make a new start?
The first made me feel like your restructuring the sentence just to fit your rhyme. I would try and find a) a different way to phrase it or b) a different word.
The second has to 'make's in it, that messed me up a bit.
However, I love the feeling that overlies in this piece.
Great, great job.

Scott

[Helena]

Wonderful write Rick. The pain of losing a friend so very well expressed here.
Thanks for sharing. ~ Helena

[Sheila Kline]

Dear Rick!
I think we have all been in a deep well of sorrow such as this at some point in our lives! It is so frustrating when the other person won't even give us a chance to explain, or to say we're sorry. At times, our attempts just seem to fall on deaf ears.

It is then, after we have tried, that we must attempt to let it go, and move on.

Please ask yourself if the friendship was worth it, if the other party is so "uninterested" in even listening to an explanation. I have had to walk away from some friendships that were an important part of my world as the other parties were just so "blind" to healing! I said in the end.........your loss..........not mine! I tried!
The best of luck in restoring this broken friendship!!
With Friendship,
Sheila

[Hotaru Miyuki]

i loved it. my ex-friends wont listen to me and they dont know how i feel. im still upset but i'll get over it. one of them.... we were best friends for 8 years. now she's gonee..... along with 2 others. i feel much better after this poem.... im not alone......