Reading Lamp

Reading Lamp

your hand is just out of reach

your heart further

from the truth of my need

I grip my own fingers tightly

massage the stain

that used to be a wedding ring

the shoes of circumstance

click in my memory

walking away not towards

an empty house of yearning

now years of learning

a statistic closes the shutter

lets out the sun

lets in the darkness

straining to see the stain

but the finger still feels the familiarity

that lingers

even with the lights out

and the book I was reading

closed.

erin-cilberto

5/15/25

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

A reflection on a past failed relationship. The stain that used to be a wedding ring. That is a very powerful way to sum up an empty house of yearning. This poem even with the lights out, still leaves footprints that hurt. Great metaphors here j.

Chris

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Loved this Jacob especially the ring stain part

[Buddhistboy73]

This is a deeply emotional poem here...:)

From the first lines :

Your hand is just out of reach....

To the final 3 .....

The use of the reading lamp to highlight the everyday familiarity of relationships that come and go and their deeper meaning to the individual...

I can almost imagine this as a mini-movie with soft lighting..watching as the narrator falls asleep ..

BB73

[redzone]

It's been more than 50 years since that stain could be seen on my finger. Strange how as I read your poem I automatically reached to feel my ring finger thinking the ring must be there. Nothing there of course. But I think there will always be a darkness where once there was light and brightness.

I love how your weave the metaphors in this poem Jacob, for me they hold many memories.
-Curt

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Curt.
j.

[Thomas W Case]

Powerful work. You paint the scene well.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Thomas.
j.

[Lydia Shutter]

But it is not the final chapter of your book. Not by a long shot. We've all worn those "shoes of circumstance" in our lives. Excellent metaphors here. Lydi**

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you so much, my friend. I keep getting those shoes but they hurt my feet. Can't find the right size, always too small.

[redd Brick Keshner]

The lamp flickers, words dissolve, and the book waits, pages stilled, story unspoken, but closed. Moves the reader to thought! Good stuff here j🕊️🙏🏻
Freds.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Freds.
j.

[redd Brick Keshner]

Most welcome, j🙏🏻🕊️
Freds.