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Tuesday 25 January 2011

Alone


Alone

No one seemed to smile today
upon their face a weary frown
with troubled eyes and heavy hearts
and souls that wandered through the town.
The rain had spat across my brow
and chills would mar my aching bones
inside I sat in warmth and prayed
but still no smiles were ever shown.

Yet hope was sought on flickered screens
in numbered doubts that troubled minds
a pen was held in front of me
to sign once more upon the line
and painted nails played QWERTY tricks
who's eye's would stare inside of me
beyond her gaze I saw the clouds
and hardened times on troubled streets.

No one seemed to smile today
so I took the car and drove away
I found a place to be alone
and watched the passing of the day.
I saw the birds all huddled tight
to ward the chill from causing ill's
and watched the cars just drive on past
yet no one smiled behind their wheel.

I saw the joggers running by
who breathed new life into their soul
and as their feet would pound the ground
the fear of loss would take its toll.
I saw the pain within your eye's
when I returned to be alone
I held you close to hide despair
the smile was gone no longer known.

***********

This is my poem for One Shot Wednesday...a fantastic platform organised by One Stop Poetry...opens tonight, and every Tuesday at 10pm UK Time

image courtesy creative commons flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmybrown/


37 comments:

Brian Miller said...

chilling pete...i will give you a smile if it will brighten the day...i know the need to be alone at times...and i know the feel of coming home...hold onto her...

Diana Lee said...

You just pound the senses with every new poem and I have no doubts as to why you have become one of my favorite writers.

Simon Hay said...

That's very cool, Pete. Thank you, my friend :)

moondustwriter said...

Pete you resolve this which you don't always do. the comfort in the midst of despair is better than a smile...

Excellent in content

your lunar compadre

Louise said...

what a sad poem....you really pour your feelings into them....and it really moved me. Thanks for sharing *smiles* :)

Glynn said...

This is permeated -- shot-through, in fact -- with sadness, a sense of loss. Well done, Pete. Very well done,

Anonymous said...

There's only one thing I could say here {{{{hug}}}} mate xxx

Unknown said...

This is wonderful, what a flow....

Monty said...

reminded me of what our known world must have been on 9/11. great tale of sad world around us.

Maureen said...

Terresa's poem is a kind of companion to yours, though she's writing about Virginia Woolf.

I'm really struck by the depth of sadness in your closing lines: "when I returned to be alone I held you close to hide despair the smile was gone no longer known".

Wishing you light and peace.

Jerry said...

This is good. There are times alone is all we can grasp...and despair get clutched in an embrace.
Man, I wonder how many more have this poem etched in their hearts.

Carys said...

A really amazing poet friend of mine once described the comfort that we find in being alone as 'the canyon within' and this reminded me of his words Pete. There is sadness and strength in this, in equal measure. A solid write.

Thoughts Not Lost said...

Wow, such images and just when I thought I understood, I realized I really didn't. Great read and well written!

Anonymous said...

The echoes in the hollow halls will never leave or forsake you Pete!

Anonymous said...

very poignant.... sorrow and hopelessness until the embrace at the end... i wanted to hold onto that glimmer of hope so i'm not sure it's even there. a beautifully constructed, if sad, One Shot. dani

Anonymous said...

Strong poem and very vivid imagery - hugs

Unknown said...

what a sad, powerful poem... almost brought tears. x

Hope said...

divorce is like that. whether that is what you are meaning or not. That's what it felt like to me

loss...for sure

you are one of my favorite writers as well.
thank you

well deserved comments

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

Very beautiful and tender despite the bleakness-- especially love the third stanza, its simplicity yet such resonance for all of us who know such emptiness. Fewer worries for the poem I posted now in reading yours. xxxj

Christine Ramsay said...

You have expressed the feelings that go with depression so well. A very sad but beautifully written poem. Well done Pete.

Anonymous said...

That was simply beautiful. The strength in your words reaches out.

CJ

Linda said...

A smile shared lifts everyone's spirits. Here's one to lift yours. :)

Lovely poem!

Bubba said...

Dour and woeful, but I'm smiling out of spite. :)

Nice One Shot, Pete.

Maude Lynn said...

Wow. This conveys such despair. Really well done.

Claudia said...

lot of sadness in your words. i know this feeling well when the walls close in on me at times and life seems to be gray and hope seemed to have vanished..very heartfelt words pete and a beautiful poem

Anita Magdalena said...

A beautiful poem full of sadness with such a smooth flow.

Anita.

Beachanny said...

Out of such raw, dark, and dead end feelings you craft such elegant, polished, subtle verse. A lament as despairing as Russian novels and you complete the sadness in a compact few lines. Brilliant and intense dear friend.

Anonymous said...

Your separation for tragedy makes for hope around every bend. Your way with words is inspiring. ♥

Anonymous said...

Pete...this is so raw and honest. I love love love your honesty and the tone. Nice nice job.
amy jo (difficult degrees)

Kavita said...

Very moving, Pete...
Sometimes, those 'alone' moments help... and sometimes, they don't...

One little hug from the one you love, can at times prove to be the best shelter ever!
I hope the life in your smile never dies, my friend...
Keep writing...

Anonymous said...

Well done1 Love the traditional rhythm and rhyme, the juxtaposition as another said of depression and comfort. But as Brian noted, it's the chill we're left with.

Dulçe ♥ said...

Smiles don't come easy at times... because of the so many reasons...

but we must look well inside and find it and as we make the effort and move the one hundred muscles, a remarkable difference will take place.
:)
D.

Rachel Hoyt said...

There is nothing sadder to me than a disappearing smile... however I really enjoyed the rhythym. You describe the truth of why smiles disappear with chilling effectiveness.

My One Shot: Stop Licking the Drain

Anonymous said...

The imagery is very good, and I like the repeated mention of no smiles. I had trouble getting a rhythm for it in my head, though, because the only punctuation you use is full stops. A stylistic matter, I suppose.

joanna said...

Very well written -- expressed that 'time' when it is best to be alone to feel the despair -- but there is a time to came back -- to love - to be held, - to forget the troubles of the day within each others warm embrace. so very true,, Pete.

Joanny

Steve Isaak said...

Intense, emotional (replete with chilly externals), super-effective.

Short Poems said...

Sad poem but beautifully written!
Hugs
Marinela x