Genesis 2:22

I am not perfect; I never was -

a canonized lie of virgin white.
I am flawed, unworthy of applause,

a ghostly glow that once shined so bright.

 

My heart is hopeless; my tears a sea.

Dreams are a dandepuff in the wind.

A hollowness grows inside of me

as all good things have come to an end.

 

The lips I tasted, the warmth I felt,

were cherished promises unfulfilled.

Let fall the kings of Orion’s belt

that this forlorn brokenness be stilled.

 

The hands that held you, that gave you all,

now dig a desperate, deep, deep grave

of past times, our times, our faces fall

like fallen angels that none can save.

 

My flesh is fading; my bones are tired.

The gift of life is giving no more.

Let fall the roses, the hours expired,

the love of ashes, and weathered door.

 

I am a woman from head to toe,

a faint flutter between earth and sky.

Lay me in linen; pack me in snow.

Please grant me this last wish when I die.

 

Inscribe these words since I shall not speak.

They will be my last forevermore:

one last breath against your gentle cheek,

a pair of footsteps along the shore.

 

These are the words, my heart and my soul,

“I love you more than you’ll ever know.
When life succumbs and death takes its toll,

I will be waiting beneath the snow.”

Author's Note

“And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”

Reviews

[Ken e Bujold]

a beautifully narrated ode here Linda. Pain, unrequited love, but still an underlying sense of self which gives the poem it's power. I especially love the closing verse, a fine throwback to bards of a lost age. And the line " a faint flutter between earth and sky" is a gobsmacking great metaphor.

ken

[Chris Shaw]

Perfectly penned tale of unrequited love. You narrate it beautifully with a great deal of emotion in your stanzas. Well done Linda. Such a good read.

Chris

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Chris. It's so good to see you.

[Gee]

Love given but not appreciated or reciprocated must weigh heavy on the heart.
You are one to read and learn from :)

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you for stopping by, Gee. I haven't seen you in a while. I hope you are faring well.

[DIVYA]

This poem is a powerful and moving expression of love and loss. It very clearly conveys that man has moved far far away from what God had intended or wished for him. Reading these exquisite words of pain only served to convince me that true love seldom comes to fruition. And the one that was true is the one that is broken. While we often wait somewhere in the belief that there will be a realization or a return, I have never really seen it happen. You have poured out all the beauty in your soul on this page and it was awesome to read.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you for reading, Divya. I believe in true love because of who I am and how I love. To find another that loves the same though, that's the problem. I think it's a rarity, truly.

[Susan 🦋]

What's meant to be...will be. But the hurt along the way ...ugh. Some people never realize what's truly important in life. Always searching for something else. Let them. True love never fails.
Your writing skill and expression? I'm still in awe!
Now let's chat about DANDEPUFF! :) What?? lol Did you make that word up because I love it!

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you, Susan. I agree. This world is so full of takers and users. It's just the way things are now. They deserve the arrival of their well-deserved Karma. As for "dandepuff," I've just always used it as a shortened form of dandelion puff. I never gave it much thought honestly. Spread the word: Dandepuff! Dandepuff! Dandepuff! :-)

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Fantastic
Beautiful
Inspirational
Unusual
And quite thought provoking loved it 😍

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you for reading, Julie.

[John the Baptist]

Adam's rib. A very somber work here, the words of a woman facing the end. The impression is the man to whom the words are addressed will survive her. What is not spoken is whether he appreciated the love that was his for a while.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Undoubtedly, he did not. If he did, we would never be apart. He has known true love. I can't say that I received the same in return. Such is life! Thank you for always being so astute in your observations. Happy New Year!