Drifting Lost
Drifting lost on these familiar streets
as the cold wind comes in early
and the evening closes down,
I ask myself, 'Who are you?'
although I know my name
and all my history.
A loss of certainty
has me stumbling lame
through places that I knew.
On mountains ringing the town,
the horizon shrinks, turns pearly;
the rain-smell sharpens, repeats.
*********
Across the world a young girl sings,
telling us all to love ourselves –
we are beautiful just as we are.
Many need to hear her song.
I hope they can all believe
her good, strong words.
I cheer them, ‘Onwards!’
in my mind – but receive
nothing I can use. It’s long
I’ve known that message. Far
worse now is that Self dissolves
from the inside, gradually unstrings.
I started writing this poem before I saw today's prompt, Scars to Your Beautiful at 'imaginary garden with real toads', featuring a song by Grace VanderWaal. So then I had to write a second section to address the prompt. It was further complicated by the fact that I got into a pattern of line lengths and rhymes which needed to be repeated too. All of which ended up making a doleful mood sound much more serious than it really was. Just reassuring you!
It's beautiful, Rosemary. There are times when we forget this truth. I am struck by the dissolving from the inside, and glad of the reassurance, lol. A wonderful response to the prompt.
ReplyDeleteOh this is incredibly poignant, Rosemary!❤️ There are moments when we need a gentle reminder that we are beautiful inside out.
ReplyDeleteFunny how certainty can slip away and leave us vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteYour last lines get to me, Rosemary. That is the reality, though we long to believe otherwise.
ReplyDeleteDear Rosemary I love your poem, so many ways to say the same thing...but does it have different meanings at different times in life? ...so beautiful, your final words, "gradually unstrings."
ReplyDeleteAlso love your title!!
ReplyDeleteAs much as the second poem cleaves to the prompt, I like the first one so much better. It seems hiding scars underneath its surface, the way most of us do.
ReplyDeleteI like this poem, I at times have been drifting and felt lost, your words illuminate those times for me and make me realize how time passes,,,
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, that ending is tragic. So what do you need?
ReplyDelete"A loss of certainty
has me stumbling lame
through places that I knew." ... Boy do I feel this in my bones.
A beautiful and gentle reminder... in such a moving write.
ReplyDeleteI too like this, Rosemary. We don't always have to follow the prompt. I too started mine before either the Toads or NaPoWriMo put theirs out. I sort of wish they would put the prompt at suppertime U.S. and let us start signing in still at midnight.
ReplyDeleteIt must be sad to actually be lost in familiar territory, like a bad dream. I am thinking that is the essence of your write but either way I like it.
..
Drifting lost is a powerful phrase. We dissolve from the inside, but keep our beauty.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous poem, Rosemary!
unstrings... drifting lost... I guess our scars will be forgotten too - but I'd rather remember them and not "drift lost"... Sigh
ReplyDelete