Alone

( a poem retrieved from a former poetry site, remembering the old and lonely who die alone,who deserve more than compassion)

a frost, pencil sharp

left a hard bite, unwelcome

in the silence of a cold, stark night

in her grave beneath sunken stone

she alone, for forty years past

turned weary, teary in her final days

gave up and bade a sad farewell,

switched off the dim and unkind light

died without a smile on her lips

stars in sequinned sympathy

jumped to attention, did their best

stood on guard, lined a pathway

saluted her homeward flight 

to peace and eternal rest, 

no earthly mourners had she

Reviews

[Dreamer Sima]

No earthly mourners had she... How sad. A person dearly wants someone beside his/ her death bed... No one want to be alone and old age is the time when the frail body want some warmth in the relation as the vigour has gone. How pathetic that in this situation some are left alone to die..

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Thank you Sima. Sadly that is reality. Some people die completely alone and have no one to mourn them. That is a really cold and lonely death.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

dying with no loved ones around us...no mourners, no one to say a few words as to what our life might have been worth...who cared? who loved? Who will miss?
reminds me of Eleanor Rigby..."all the lonely people, where do they all come from, all the lonely people where do they all belong?"

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Thank you Jacob. I love Eleanor Rigby, such a beautiful song. There are many lonely people, they shouldn't be forgotten..

Chris

[andrew mitchell]

Covid came to mind when I read this, not allowing those closest to see dying loved ones. Very sad.

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Thank you Andrew. I wrote this poem many years ago, but it is so relevant to what some are having to face today. Thank you for the visit and the read.

Chris

[Neville]

... this is so very sad, but unfortunately, even today neither an uncommon or unusual occurrence .. in fact, on reflection, I suspect given the circumstances we are all currently facing, I would not be surprised if such incidences are increasing across and throughout this caring society of ours ...

Something like this just needed to be written for all such sorry souls.

Neville

[Christine Anne Shaw]

I think you are right Neville. This type of lonely death is likely to be on the increase, especially in today's climate. Sadly we have lost much of the spirit of togetherness that was prevalent after the war years. You can live in the same road as your neighbours for years now and never meet them. Good Sunday remembrance day and thank you for the visit.

Chris

[Ookpik]

"stars in sequinned sympathy
jumped to attention,..."

That alliteration is quite nice - I always appreciate seeing unfamiliar words (as they add to my own vocabulary) and the imagery is very sharp. I like the tercets as well, and find that (despite being free-verse) a semblance of organization can give work a strong cohesion.

Nice job, thank you for sharing.

-Ook

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Many thanks for the read and leaving such encouraging comments. Most appreciated.

Chris

[duff]

I can directly relate to this. I worked at a nursing home during the first three months of the covid outbreak and its truly heartbreaking. The pictures of family talking on a cell phone through the glass is crushing reality. You want to protect them but some of them have only days left and still the family was not allowed in. Mentally torn apart.

[Christine Anne Shaw]

That must have been heartbreaking for you. So sorry duff you had to live that and also sadly you found these lines relatable. It is a terrible sign of our times. My own mum is in a nursing home 200 miles away. I saw her two weeks ago, through a glazed window, and spoke on the phone. Not easy to keep smiling, but I did. Thank you for your review.

Chris

[duff]

Thank you Chris and I feel for you as well. We can definitely lean on each other and best wishes. Great writing is provocative.

[Jimmy Yetts]

Profoundly sad.
Love the line: "stars in sequinned sympathy..."
You paint a bleak picture, Chris--though, ultimately, hopeful.
But, you do paint, magnificently!

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Thank you Jimmy. As a child I loved painting long before I ever turned to poetry. Love frequenting a gallery or two, even now. Still have that painter inside :)

Chris

[Lorry]

A sad yet evergrowing number outliving their own memories and succumbing to the modern blight of being left behind and forgotten. And most likely paid own funeral costs and went without fuss. They don't make 'em like they use to Chris, sadly.

[Christine Anne Shaw]

An old poem Lorry, but still so applicable to how we live our lives today. With Covid, it makes it worse. You know I come from a generation used to having their grandparents living in the family home. I don't know why there are so many fractured families now, but there are. Hope all is well with you. Second day of lockdown. Spent yesterday in the garden, today I am going on a long walk with the dog. She is looking forward to it, I am trying to look forward to it. Take care and thanks for checking in.

Chris

[Lorry]

I have lost count of who is in lockdown and who isn't. I know England is, but it's different in different areas here and is very confusing. This week alone I've been in three different levels and still see loads of idiots flouting when working. Selfish few keeping the misery going for the rest... Selfish sods.
All good(ish) Colder than Frosty's armpit, but what's new? 😀

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Keep warm if frosty is about. Selfish sods are everywhere. North, South, East and west. We all have them. Must be difficult moving around in different tiers. That makes is complicated to say the least. I mean you have to remember where you are, and that isn't always easy :)

[Lorry]

And remember your flask and sarnies or you'll probably starve. Even in areas on lower tiers, a lot of cafes and diners have shut. Even fast food places. Seeing a lot of frightened men in supermarkets, looking like shopping and cooking virgins. Haven't they heard of the sweet aisle? 😀

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Cooking virgins. You know wot, you've got a poem in the making there :))

[Lorry]

Well the title writes itself, losing your cherry tomato 😀

[Christine Anne Shaw]

Ha ha good evening Lorry.

[Lorry]

And a good evening to you too Chris. Still thinking of the virgin cookbook and Mums the world over wondering why their sons are wrapping Danepak in with their bedsheets.... (pigs in blankets) 🤪

[Christine Anne Shaw]

So naughty :))