His Softness
What name would survive
had you not stepped into the water
that day? Memory assigned
a separate word, another given,
and the face I’d placed with you
appeared in front of me
fifteen years later, in another
setting, miles away
and still breathing. How
may I honor you
if not by name? I recall
the gray ocean and how
umbrellas struggled in
the wind, and reading
in the weekly newspaper
a month after
that you had never emerged.
Now your name still lies there,
somewhere, under the surface,
unattached yet moving with
the current, and I,
no matter how I strain,
can’t grab it. Time after time,
it slips away. Just slips away.
.* * *
“His Softness” was published in January 2016 in the inaugural edition of MockingHeart Review.
Powerful. Hearing it read aloud really brings a whole deeper level to this poem. Wow.
http://www.cynthiahilston.com
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Thanks very much, Cyndi. I truly believe that poems are written for the ear.
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I’m not a poet, but, in my humble opinion, reading it aloud brings it to life and unlocks deeper emotional meaning. Well done.
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I agree!
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Beautifully spoken, Bob. And I like the simplicity of the words alone for this poem (i.e. no musical accompaniment) – your voice tolls them like bells.
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Thanks, Lynne. This one demanded simplicity.
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well spoken
words 🙂
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Thank you!
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Well done. Poetry is best when spoken aloud.
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Thanks, Andrew. It’s meant to be heard!
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I finally could read a poem with my eyes closed. It is hauntingly poignant and your reading of it is perfect. Thank you
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Thank you, Berna. I’m glad it resonated for you.
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Hauntingly beautiful, Robert.
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I’m so pleased you think so. Thank you.
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Powerful – sense of loss (of someone and of name unable to recall)
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Thanks, Jazz. Memory is funny that way…
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I listened to the recording while following the written form. Truly powerful piece. It made me feel the rest of the iceberg, while the tip gently plunged itself into my heart.
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Ah, Matthias. You are very kind. Thank you.
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Wow! Just wow! That was so powerful Robert
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Thank you, Lisa.
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Yes, wow! This is so powerful. And sad, and poignant, and real.
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Thank you very much.
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