Comfort

Words

Had always come easy

But now

She couldn’t think

Of anything

To say.

Not one phrase

Quote

Or saying

Came to mind

And she stared

Dumbstruck

Silenced

By the sadness

Around her.

She wanted desperately

To say something

Anything

That would revive him

Bring the light

Back into

The darkened eyes

That stared at her

Like dried wells.

They had cried

All the tears they could.

For once

She decided

Maybe there wasn’t

Anything she could say

To make the eyes

Revive

And the wells

Flow again.

Maybe her actions

Could speak

Louder

Than her words,

Just once.

So she reached

A slender,

Clammy hand

Hesitant, halting

Towards the thin

Sloping, shoulder.

Her hand rested there

Like a bird

nestled against

The warmth

Of his neck.

He reached up

And took

The featherless bird

In his own hand

Cold and rough

And held it there

Gently

With tenderest care.

For he knew

How much

Courage

It took for her

To reach out.

He turned

Slowly

And gently brought

The bird down

From its perch.

She looked up

At the dry

Reddened eyes

They were wet again.

She had not known

A human being

Could hold

So much

Water.

 

Author's Note

I have been told that the short lines make the poem sound choppy, but if one reads it slow, it sounds fine. What do you think?

Reviews

[SilentVerses]

What timidity lines the flowing lines of your work, like the fragile beatings of dove wings the words flutter in uncertainty, love and hope kindle with the dying embers of despair an understanding blooms and soaring through the air something is found, emotion helps the strength of first actions. Halting steps help the words find perch in their images, holding strong they tie ropes of binding commitment to one another, joined in passion they slide through the ethereal honesty found in the simple poetic language, giving justice to such an innocent purity, such a stunning white bird hums a melody to the words.