Acceptance Charm
She’ll take the river’s trace
over curl and leaf
and the street’s
dead end,
riveting eyes
even as they blink.
The narcotic’s benediction.
Renewal. Sleep.
That bed remains unmade,
stripped of purpose: no
caress a thigh would
recognize
dark fingers writing in air
O at the Edges 
Another chillingly good poem. Bravo.
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Thank you, Michael. Must be the weather. 🙂
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I really like this. It sinks into me, if that makes sense.
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Then I’ve done something right!
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I reread it over and over. The spacing is perfect.
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I’m so pleased you noticed the spacing. I wrote these “charm” poems with the intent of using space more than I usually do. Good eye!
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How did you get the spacing to work in WordPress? Did you have to insert non-breaking spaces?
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I copied it into WordPress from a non-Word file (Pages, which came with my Mac), which worked. I have found discussions of how to format poetry in WordPress, but must admit to being too lazy to implement the suggestions.
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Thanks! I’ll look into it.
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A wonderful poem of the entanglements of the world of addiction!! Dwight
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Thanks, Dwight. I’m thankful to have few of those (except the poetry thing).
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Retirement has helped me move beyond many of them!
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Retirement is good for many reasons!
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Jarring (ie, effective) – another case of hitting the “LIKE” button with reserve … definitely like the poetics … shudder at the implications. Fantastic expression: “no caress a thigh would recognize”
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Thanks, Jazz. Sometimes we’re compelled to face those other darknesses…
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Yes. And poetry smooths the way.
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Induced white-space. Great idea, Bob, for this poem, which is brimming full of contrasts and mystery. Very intriguing this. Darkly seductive one might also say.
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Interesting how space seems more effective (for me) in darker poems.
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Pingback: Acceptance Charm — O at the Edges – richwrapper
I feel like I have read Ophelia’s eulogy. Maybe it’s because I’m grading exams that are about Hamlet. But, still. I love this piece, how you use space to create tone and voice.
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Ooh, I love this. Ophelia!
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I absolutely love your style and the way you weave selective words in poetic harmony.
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Thank you, Sonyo. I’m pleased that it resonated for you.
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Whoo! This is a keeper, one that sinks to the bottom of my soul. I’ve known more addicts than I wanted to, all with the same dark lesson and the hope of recovery, taken one step and one day at a time. Great poem here, Robert. Uff-da!
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Thanks, George. I think of the lost ones, those who’ve never been able to overcome their torments…
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This is deep and flows well with the picture. It made me really think and feel. Thank you.
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Thank you, Ipuna. Much appreciated.
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Really spare and powerful work here
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You’re very kind, MB. Thank you.
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