Loose Pages

Loose Pages

cigarette burns on the coffee table

hidden under the coaster

drenched with spillage of tearful drinks

a heart collapsed on a love seat

alone in waiting,

for the next glass of wine to age

in a cabinet disrobed of food

just one can of cold beets

left

as the beaten heart

starves for attention

watching some lame love story

a "B" movie in High Definition

much clearer than his own life

empty TV tray,

next to the coffee table

with the cigarette burns

hidden under the coaster

saturated with his memoirs

in the form of ring stains

from a binder now unbound.

erin-cilberto

7/28/19

Reviews

[David Klay]

Sad. The dark side of a love once known.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful comment, David.
j.

[MCS]

We all know these bleak moments of the mind, body and soul.
Again, well done!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, MCS,
j.

[barleygirl]

I went thru a period in my late twenties when I was living mostly in my living room, which probably looked & smelled like your sad drab depiction! The selection of "cold beets" (of all the cans you could think of!) is brilliant! Your details are so realistic! Falling asleep on the sofa with my neck badly kinked might've been the genesis of my later neck deterioration! *sigh!* Fondly, Margie

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, have been through a few periods of this...you understand, i can see...thank you for your words...not sure if i am glad you could relate or not...with the neck thing as a result...
my cat is staring at me....she does that...it's freaky....i think of that whole taking the breath thing...aw, too much Stephen King...
thanks for the visit and i'll share my beets with you, anytime..
j.

[barleygirl]

I was going to say (in my review) that a person would've had to LIVE this, to write it this vividly. But then I edited out that comment, becuz I thought surely you were observing this in a friend *wink! wink!* (why do we all have such a lofty freakin' vision of you, here at the cafe?)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

nowhere near lofty....most of this is true..not the wine part...hate wine...
but yes...i am far from what that vision is.
but all the experiences allow for a drawer of memories to draw Upon.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Cigarette burns. ring marks, empty cupboards, speak to me of someone who is not coping well, probably not sleeping and not caring for themselves either. There was much here to tell me this individual is heartbroken. The repetition works well. Saturated memories is genius. Great piece.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Chris,
j.

[Wondering Mind]

The visuals you use have great effect!
I can imagine the person and- almost- feel their emotions.. and they need a shave too.
Great writing

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Wondering Mind,
j.

[Fran Marie]

To say this piece is melancholy would be an understatement...such a sad refrain the repetition emits ..saturated memories
your poetry is always so well penned and expressed Jacob..

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Fran,
j.

[Lyn Anderson]

Lots of vivid imagery here to grab. I think I like the disrobed cabinet. A frustrated and pale existence against the back drop of a broken heart, beautifully captured in your words.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Lyn,
j.

[Carol Cashes]

Hidden cigarette burns, artfully placed coasters and decorative bowls/baskets of remotes and keys...the image clear despite the grainy black and white photograph - like a old crime scene photo.

The wine and beets references combined with the collapsed heart and the cheesy love story added a startling vibrant crimson color...this is a painting.

*bowing and slowing backing away*

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Carol...appreciate your kind words,
j.

[Fairy Khan]

I love the repetition of the thought of the coffee table, cigarette and the coaster; and it’s alliterative nature. More often than not, we try to subdue our feelings, regrets and guilt by suppressing them. What we forget is that if we don’t face them, the cover when blown, will leave us devastated.

You always make me ponder with your writing. Your words are so beautifully expressed.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Fairy,
j.