Still Motion

Clouds of musky scented dust cling to the diffusing light,

The glow is projected heavily, dank

almost through invisible water.

The picture appears jarringly and shudders to life.

The footage snaps and crackles fuzzily,

You flicker and glide along the screen ghostly.

 

I blush as you smile at me, present in the room.

I recite your wilting letters from war times, over and over.

I imagine what you would say to me now as I watch you.

Still moving but frozen in time; you are captured just for me,

Forever to reply repeatedly when I please.

 

Resurrected in greyscale film strip,

Through this medium you’ll always live.

I jump in and join you on screen, far back in time.

I remember that night amongst the fog in my brain,

My hair was perfectly curled and

red lipstick applied thoroughly, all for you.

We embrace and pose playfully for the extended lens,

our faces glowing with youth and

new love before the dance.

 

But I feel you fading through my porous senses.

The tape spins, slows and chatters,

Smoke oozes from the reel to my alarm.

Zooming out quickly, our faces distorts and melt away.

The flames lick each square devilishly,

erasing your existence without mercy.

I clumsily try to extinguish the blaze in vain.

 

Now you only play back in my ever forgetful mind,

With accelerating speed you slip through my wrinkled fingers.

Now you are only a fond memory; but I can barely remember you.

Reviews

[Meraki]

Your writing is a time machine. Always I'm transported to a different time it's quite interesting.
She's in a dark room sitting next to the projector long after the war has ended, she views the short one of the last night's he was there. The machine that once clicked and hums loudly now distant and faint a whisper she gets caught up in the memory of so many years ago. She's watched the clip many times before, she walks closer to the screen just to act out the scene and the film starts to burn. Quickly she tries to put the flame before she loses everything but she's too late, and in her grief she begins to forget memories she desperately tries to cling to, and tears build up in her eyes. She's not as young as she used to be the memories fade quickly. She can't remember the face of the man she loves.

That's what played in my mind. It was beautiful and bittersweet. I loved it! :D

[Sophie McN]

yes that's exactly it! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :D thank you so much!!

[Meraki]

:D no it was my pleasure!

[pinhead07]

Vivid, transcendent, serene, in three words.

[Sophie McN]

thank you!!

[Sophie McN]

I wrote this a long time ago so there are a few typos and little things wrong.