My memory of you –
distorted by childish exuberance –
distant and disinterested
Translated vacant eyes
through the lens of my needs
child that I was.
Failed to notice
the aura of defeat,
the battered heart
the robotic responses
masking unbelievable sorrow
missed it all
till death knocked
and I saw you anew –
adult lenses now fully secured.
wonder at the fortitude
that kept you upright,
the love that served us both.
No fault here –
on either side –
just a bittersweet understanding.
(Life, in retrospect, offers new revelations. Poem inspired by Reena’s Exploration challenge – image as prompt.)
The unmasking of grief. Beautiful.
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Thank you E.
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Another triumph of piercing poetic expression.
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Wow! Thank you!
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You’re welcome!
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Oh, nice, V.J.!
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Thanks Eugenia.
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You’re welcome, V.J.
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WOW, this is so good, VJ–leaves me literally hushed.
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Thank you.
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If only we knew then what we know now. Wonderfully written.
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Thanks Heather.
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A pleasure.
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Sometimes in hindsight, this may help us gain more foresight ……
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Thanks, Ivor.
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Beautifully written 🙂
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Thank you!
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Oh my. This gets at the heart of the matter, while dovetailing with the image. Wow!
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Thanks. Interesting how we all interpret images differently
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You’re welcome.
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I think you’re really getting the hang of this poetry thing. 😉
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Lol…thanks Mike. Means a lot coming from you. Now if I could just fine tune my sense of humour.
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There’s often a lot of suffering involved, someone once said – the real reason for comedy is to hide the pain.
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Yep. I can testify to that.
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A bitter-sweet poem too…. Thank you, Val!
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Thanks Reena. V.J. is correct. Val is not my name.
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Sorry! I saw that mentioned somewhere. Will take care.
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Yes. Someone else has christened me Val, lol. I actually have a sister-in-law named Val and her initials are V.J., so I guess it’s not far off.
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🙂
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A bitter sweet poem too…. Thank you, VJ!
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A bitter sweet understanding, and a bitter sweet poem… Thank you, VJ!
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Hindsight is everything, as they say. thanks Reena!
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The comment was not showing as posted, and I kept trying. I see that the same thing has been posted thrice. Regrets!
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No problem. WP is full of glitches.
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