"What Part of Lonely Do You Understand?..."

This is about us all - every me, every you... every moment we ...are and were alone... chosen or not.  We live as we can - seldom as we want. @6

Lonliness is where you find it
...and just about any when -
moments where you know its touch
and others just ...ambushed again. @1

Its being when you have no choice
'cept holding so very tight
to those lil nothings never meant
to be held close every night. @2

It's the laughter that always hurts
because I wasn't good enough
to be anything more than me
...and me's are never good or enough. @3

Not everyone has the other
that gently holds you close
and fills your life with memories
and every night with ghosts... @4

When I taste the rain

I separate out my tears...

for the dreams that never were,

for each long and empty year;

then goes the ones for silly hopes -

all just butterflies held inside,

then last - the wishes I grasped so tight

as my stars so slowly died. @5

Sometimes its in the eyes
as they look out above the smile...
so many shadows of sighs flit by
as a soft wistful "hello" glistens.  @7

 

"What Part of Lonely Do You Understand?..."

Sunday morning -

the taste of coffee

chilly morning

sitting at the window

lost in the mists...

 

Monday eve -

echoes of footsteps

the sounds of silence

making dinner

leftovers...

Tuesday -

leaving the lights off

sitting there on the curb

watching the cars pass

empty fingers closing...

 

Wednesday afternoon -

raindrops through the leaves

unsplashed puddles

distant laughter

walking - just walking...

Thursday ~

gray winter sky

store windows

food court

...change from a Five.

 

Friday night -

music

line dancing

midnight
...watching the minute hand.

Saturday...
TV for the noise

telemarketers

Jehova's Witnesses...
the sound of keytops being pressed.

 

Breathing...

closing your eyes
dreaming

...waking up

tomorrow

 

...yesterdays.

 

Chris

 

 

Author's Note

After the title, the original poem, each line ...each one - is standalone

Chris

Reviews

[Su' Nacnetaf]

Read it in many different ways, the way I liked it the most nevertheless had to be "Sunday, @6, Monday, @1, Tuesday, @2, Wednesday, @3, Thursday, @5, Friday, @4, Saturday, @7, Breathing". Quite interesting, whichever way you may read it though, finding different meanings among each separate line as I dared to create my own sequence was... well... this piece is thought-provoking. thanks for sharing.

[Chris]

If you reread it tomorrow... well, meanings change as we live. Nuff said.

Originally reviews were individual and the @ number reflected my thought and an individual response to a particular reader. I added them one at a time within the body of the work. Was an interesting time.

[Su' Nacnetaf]

Now knowing that, I will be even more compelled to read it over again some more times as I drift to different moods.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

"We live as we can - seldom as we want." These words are so salient and true, their poignancy dripping with the ghosts of happenstance.

This whole poem is hauntingly familiar, the words dancing in the bones of us all.

[Indie Skreet]

Thank you for perfecting how I sometimes, but not always, feel.

[kimmy]

I can relate to this poem. Being lonely is hard and the bad part for me is I was with my childrens dad and I was still feeling lonely. We didn't talk, I was home alone so much, and it was hard. I could feel emotion and can feel where the loneliness comes from.

[Chris]

Kimmy, sometimes it is the hardest thing to FEEL inside that you belong.

[Becky C Strukamp]

A most excellent description of being lonely, I could feel each word, its imagery and the pulse of its directive. Loved this. I so relate to this.

Love the format..it fits beautifully with this poem

[Chris]

Its really good seeing you again Becky

[Becky C Strukamp]

thanks Chris!

[SparrowSong]

As much as I've written on this very subject, you seem to describe it in all its tragic reality, yet I am not left feeling sad. I live my days much like this, acceptance, preferring almost being the quiet observer. Sure, wishes and wants are there, but at the end of the day...

Breathing...
closing your eyes
dreaming
...waking up
tomorrow

...yesterdays.

Love the style in which this is written, love the standalone verses and how they form a complete thought when all put together. Nicely done.

~Beth

[Chris]

Hi Beth... thanks for pausing. I hope you return.

[SparrowSong]

It was really my pleasure, I am sure I will be back...

[Chris]

Well - you just returned, neat how that works.

[Cryingkate]

Many good lines expressing some awesome mundane said but said with originality.
and some new concepts to boot.
Unusually crafted two in one, but it fits.
Creates curiosity about the writer to read more of his work.

[Georgia Gypsy]

Indeed I can see how each part of the 1st half could stand alone, but are very good as a whole...the 2nd half felt a bit disjointed and might have been stronger to me as a stand-alone.
After re-reading I think what throws me is the transition from rhyme to non-rhyme, both parts are very good, and I did enjoy the read (though it felt rather sad to me).
Captured many emotions and for that I applaud you.
Thanks so much for sharing!

[Chris]

I'm glad you stopped by... The beginning portions were responses of mine to various review comments. The Portion below the title IS the Original work. And each line of it IS a standalone line and yet the form a coherent thought when tied together.

[NANCY MCCORMACK]

I really like and enjoyed the first poem,that I could feel :)