A Bittersweet Victory

I’ll take the prize.

I’ll take the accolades,

and I’ll take the congratulatory messages from fellow creators and friends.

But I’ll take it all with a tear in my eye,

and a pang of guilt in my soul.

And I’d give it back in a heartbeat

to have never had a reason to write it,

and for your stilled heart to beat again.

**

Thank you to Vocal for choosing me as a finalist in the haiku category of the Vocal awards, and extra special thanks to my fellow creators for voting “Heaven’s Curtain” in 2nd place. I am truly grateful for your support, and I want you all to know how much I appreciate you.

I realize the short poem above is not exactly brimming with positivity. The truth is, I have a love/hate relationship with Heaven’s Curtain. While I am proud of the acknowledgment the piece has afforded me, I mean every word I wrote above. I’m also aware that there are probably hundreds of other Vocal creators who have written pieces they wish they never had a reason to write, and I empathize.

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Finally, for those who are not aware (though most who follow me are), Heaven’s Curtain was taken from a longer poem I wrote two years ago while standing on my balcony looking at the moon. Here is the link, if you’d like to see it.