Aleppo

Aleppo

I've trod the many summers

I've seen the river's run,

the blackbird raking withered leaves, 

the trespass of the sun.

I've coursed the age of innocence 

the rise of heavy stones, 

Jack Frost's design on windowpanes, 

the breaking of my bones.

I've crossed my heart so many times 

but never hoped to die, 

found reasons for the things I've done, 

but not the reasons why.

I've known so many promises 

that fall like wounded birds, 

out from the blue and endless sky 

as empty, idle words.

I've grown to adult subterfuge 

seen things no child should see, 

slept where the sun has lost its heat, 

craved immortality.

I've felt so much of suffering, 

like nails drove through my feet, 

prayed rain would fall more bountiful 

on fields of harvest wheat

I've tasted all of bitterness, 

so liquid on my tongue,

cried for the lost, unripened  

fruit that stays forever young;

and I dream a star-lit pathway 

for each little child set free,  

but think sometimes, though time 

may heal, this world is not for me.

                          

Reviews

[Beccy]

Thank you Nigel; especially for the it's. I rarely make silly little errors and am always grateful for input.

I hurt inside each time I see or read about such atrocities, especially when the most precious of all gifts, our children, are hurt. Now of course we have the latest, that chemical weapon attack. If it was Assad, which is extremely likely, he is pure evil in an Armani suit.

Beccy.

[Nigel Newman]

Beautifully written. Almost flawless meter but even more important is that crucially each line is taken up with meaningful words and phrasing. Your last 2/3 verses are especially poignant. [Should be 'its not it's BTW].

Really nice work
BRs
Nigel

[Tom]

Yes indeed I totally concur , man's inhumanity to fellow man is as rife and prevalent as it has been from millennia ago till present and shows no sign of abatement , so all to easy for one to grow cynical and lose faith in the human race!

A stark, emotive and powerful poem, penned with an honest, frank and humane pen!!

[Wondering Mind]

A beautifully written and very moving poem. Each stanza is a gem.

[Neville]

If I could write just one more piece, it would have to be something much like this.... Splendid, no other words are necessary, in my book.... N

[CD Campbell]

I am absolutely flabbergasted how easy these words of yours can roll off the tip of the tongue. This is probably one of the best poems of yours that I have ever read. You would think that the repetitive use of "I've" would have taken away from it, but in truth it only increased the heavy tension like an added bag of bricks to every stanza till I felt I was being crushed by the emotion of it all at the end. I like the rhyme scheme. I have to say that the last two lines cut me. It was a hopeless ending. CD

[Ken Simm.]

You speak beauty where others have destroyed. You speak love where you have to dig forever. You importantly speak compassion where others say there is none. I am moved.

[Terry O'Leary]

Poignant!!!

Perceptive depiction of a horrifying 'circumstance'...

Unfortunately, the title, 'Aleppo', of your poem could be changed to thousands of other towns/cities/countries where these horrors are part of the daily diet...

The rhyme and rhythm.. exquisite!! Easy to read, hard to digest!!
Well done...

Terry