Bright Midnight
A look at being alone no longer.
The world was black.
Empty.
A swath of mingling darks catching the shadow of a castle
Made of stone and rotten days of mirth
Now lost to the current of mist swirling around her foundation,
Gathering in the cracks,
In the furrow between brows and dark eyes.
.
Locked out.
Stuck on the peripheral vision of a place that had been home,
Caught on the fence,
On the eve of today and tomorrow
Wondering, wondering, wondering
How long the loneliness would last.
The limp threw his gait from a powerful stride
To a delicate but ugly thing.
.
He'd never been pretty but he had been elegant.
Stoic.
Like the stone, polished and weathered in a way that gave
Distinction.
It had faded with the war, with the fight, with the victory,
And settled deep like a slow-creeping necrosis in his bones.
A thin hand clutched his cloak.
.
Rage slept in the sharp features.
Twitched in his long limbs as he slept fitfully.
Tonight, in the shadows and the incessant dark,
It was subdued.
The loneliness was an analgesic
To the pain of longing company brought on,
An aching sick of the heart.
.
"You're bleeding."
A hammer against the glass solitude boxing him in.
"Come back to mine, let me fix it."
Moonlight peeking around the clouds.
"I've got whiskey."
A nod in the darkness that somehow
Felt brighter than any other midnight ever had.
About the Creator
Silver Serpent Books
Writer. Interested in all the rocks people have forgotten to turn over. There are whole worlds under there, you know. Dark ones too, even better.
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I have not been very successful in quieting my mind this evening. I find that as time goes by, I find myself in deeper contemplation, in regards to the purpose of my life. I can say with certainty, that thus far, I have had a life, that with all things considered, has been a well lived one.
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Comments (5)
You explore loneliness so well, especially in all of its complexities. Amazing work!
"How long the loneliness would last." Sometimes being lonely is a blessing to understand ourselves ❤️ I was really touched by this poem, Incredibly done! 💖
I was absolutely transfixed by “Wondering, wondering, wondering How long the loneliness would last. The limp threw his gait from a powerful stride To a delicate but ugly thing.” The repetition followed by the powerful question followed by the strikingly worded image was layer upon layer of excellence! The whole piece is very well done, Silver!
"The loneliness was an analgesic" - great line! With 5 words, you've delivered so much information. Brilliant.
The juxtaposition of the character's past strength with their present vulnerability adds a deep layer of emotional complexity. The subtle hope introduced at the end offers a beautiful contrast to the darkness that precedes it. Thank you for sharing such a moving and atmospheric poem.