Afterward

It’s time once again for Poetics at the dVerse Poets Pub. Today, our host Laura Bloomsbury has asked us to Choose ONE of the lines below and write your poem as continuation where the poet left off, thematically, in the same mood, rather than literally. Give special thought to your own final lines.

I chose “Airless and unloved, in the dank basement of the mind” L. Igloria. A Reparation

Afterward, I stayed.

I needed some time

alone with you. To remember

our life, our love, and to mourn

the loss of what

we will never have.

Soon, the clouds unfurled

it was no surprise.

Without you to smile upon,

my love,

the sun cannot bring

itself to shine.


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10 responses to “Afterward”

  1. Ingrid Avatar

    This is a very moving short poem. It brought a tear to my eye in its expression of the finality of loss.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The Abject Muse Avatar

      Thank you, Ingrid.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. sarahsouthwest Avatar

    This is very poignant. You reminded me of that famous Auden poem – stop all the clocks – it does seem unreasonable that the world can go on despite personal loss. This is poem is sparse, clean and beautiful.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The Abject Muse Avatar

      Thanks so much, Sarah. Glad you enjoyed!

      Like

  3. Ron. Avatar

    Could not be more powerfully succinct. This is masterwork & a GREAT reference to the selected prompt. Awesome!

    Like

  4. lillian Avatar

    These few words express so well the grief of losing a loved one:
    “Without you to smile upon,
    my love,
    the sun cannot bring
    itself to shine.”

    Like

  5. Dora Avatar

    “the loss of what we will never have” – saddest words. Beautifully written.

    Like

  6. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    This sounds like a terrible place to be… but mourning is the first step toward healing… somewhere in that basement there is a key to the daylight above.

    Like

  7. sanaarizvi Avatar
    sanaarizvi

    “Soon, the clouds unfurled, it was no surprise,”… this is so moving, so beautiful in its brevity. I love the poignancy with which you incorporated the given line 💝💝

    Like

  8. purplepeninportland Avatar

    Just the right fit for the line used.

    Like

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