Saturday, March 23, 2013

Not to Be

Fog At Sea by Junior Libby



Not to Be 

The note came disguised -
Nearly forgotten your delicate
placement  of words along 
the blade unsheathed neath
sand stirred in the
guarded jar of your 
ambered memory

The note came disguised -
A single flower drifting from
a towering tree of hanging hurt
floating across the years

Revealed now, the still gaping 
wound of what you
name a quite natural drift
rather than a self-severed
amputation 

I watch you 
hurry 
away 


Dragging past pain 
across the country of Never Future
Watch you 
hurry back to Shared Yesterday
See two little girls laughing -
Running, hand in hand -
Chestnut blossoms falling in our
hair as we floated into a forever future
Only one of us yet yearns to share

The note lingers 
its song sung
clear and aching
as bagpipes on a foggy moor
on a cold morn
The note is heard

you will not come 






27 comments:

  1. Some things are just not meant to be...

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  2. Delicate and brought me to tears with its bitterness.

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  3. The sadness of the no longer 'shared yesterday' is palpable. Strong writing here, Pearl.

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  4. The image of that "half-severed amputation" will stick with me for a long time. Gruesome, but effective!

    A Dozen Whirls

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  5. Beautifully sad, I specially like the haunting note of the bagpipes on a foggy moor ~

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  6. Your opening note made me read the poem as music - beautiful, sad music.

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  7. Stunning words, so deeply moving!

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  8. Yes, for me it reminds me of one of my sisters. We never really got close. Now we never will in life. 'A towering tree of hanging hurt/floating across the years.' Love it.

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  9. Have to wonder if we each and every
    one of us, has such a relationship and periodically pull out the memory and wonder why?

    Elizabeth

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  10. Love the image of bagpipes on the moor, I can hear their mournful sound. Really wonderful write!

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  11. The longing and melancholy in your poem...haunting like the bagpipes on a foggy moor. Beautiful.

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  12. Oh this is so sad, one sees the two little girls, and today's women with such an undreamed of history. Poignant and sad, Pearl.

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  13. Such beautiful imagery!

    the blade unsheathed neath
    sand stirred in the
    guarded jar of your
    ambered memory


    beautifully written!

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  14. That flower lingers gently and ominously throughout..like time i guess it changes..blooms and fades..but always there in some form..

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  15. A very emotional poem, it made me really feel what you wrote.

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  16. I like the bagpipes on a foggy moor the image here seems to complete your poem, well done.

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  17. There is so much aching sadness here ... "the note came disguised..." I love this line (might have made it the title actually) - it's a beautiful, poignant poem Pearl...

    http://nsaynne.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/if-i-if-you/

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  18. Oh my goodness - stopped in to check site before calling it a day. Thank you dear dear fellow poets - you are sure to help me to sweet dreams with your wonderful comments. I appreciate your taking the time and am so very moved that you enjoyed this poem. Thank you again.

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  19. Very moving Pearl. So are bagpipes, especially on foggy moors, and losing touch with a special someone. Really nicely done.

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  20. Beautiful, poignant and probably a sad reminder for many of friendships that have faded as we have grown older. Don't look, but even some men may have tears in their eyes as they recall childhood liaisons.

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  21. The first time I have ever seen bagpipes as a metaphor anywhere. Like it!

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  22. Elizabeth, I must echo Cos' mention of the bagpipes. The mournful sound we associate with bagpipes now, so often heard at funerals, were once a battle cry for warriors of Scotland...

    These lines:
    The note lingers

    its song sung
    clear and aching
    as bagpipes on a foggy moor
    on a cold morn
    The note is heard

    ...and then the final line, which falls like mortar shell. Astonishingly good writing, Pearl Girl. Peace, Amy

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  23. My heart hurt when I read - Only one of us yet yearns to share. The pain of what wasn't meant to be!

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