Poetry Thursday. Unfinished Business
It's the theme. Brings me back again to another of my "marriage break-up" poems. Sorry. But it has that air to it. What's left to be done. What's not finished. In fact, since the poem was written, some of the stuff has been seen to. But not all. Still unfinished. Those memories. ...
101 things he didn’t take
picture of Ben Bulben
picture of his parents,
picture of us when our son was a year old,
any photographs at all,
any crystal,
any china,
the good pots,
the second-best bedlinen,
old towels,
books he didn’t want,
records he can’t play,
plants from the house,
plants from the garden.
You get the picture.
A thousand-and-one things
he didn’t take,
when you add them all up.
And swirling in the air still,
ungathered,
memories he didn’t take,
words spoken,
uncollected:
what’s left behind for me to gather,
put away, dispose of –
the past, the past, the past.
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posted by GreenishLady @ 12:42 am
12 Comments:
Love the listing of everyday things, the connection to those things and a person's betrayal/heartbreak. Perfect representation of a divorce.
This must have been so hard-to be surrounded with the every day memories.
Love this powerful, poignant list, but then again, I love all of your poetry!
It's always the memories woven through the 'things' that are so hard to sort through. The echoes of heartbreak stay for a long time.
I have been there also. In fact I am living it now. Your poem was so full of what life leaves us when they go. Time does not heal it only passes. Wonderful work.
bd
I've been going through this right now, and you've captured the pain in the details so perfectly. Lovely.
Haven't heard from you for a while! This poem is touching, it communicates "in the white spaces, between the lines" so very well. What is unsaid in this poem is as powerful as what you have written.
Welcome back! This brings back some memories...I once called the police because I thought someone was breaking into the garage at night. Turned out it was just my ex-husband rummaging through boxes; just windowshopping...
Turned out there wasn't anything left he wanted. What a metaphor.
Your poem describes those divorce-induced feelings so well.
What a powerful poem. Made me think about my own events of the past year. *sigh* Deidre's poignant comment about the "echoes of heartbreak" is so, so true, isn't it?
I can only say, that you and I know sadness and loss. I thank you for your kind words.
Fantastic poem! I really like the transition from the everyday items to the memories and words still swirling in the air..."the past, the past, the past" resonates so poignantly. Thank you for your words.
oh oh oh...this one brought tears to my eyes. such space this leaves...
beautiful.
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