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Emptiness
I search for you in every face I see.
True love should last forever and a day:
Its book not closed until all chapters end.
You walked into my life then walked away:
There is no laughter left that I can hear.
Each endless night will never become day.
The white owl leaves our tree to kill a mouse,
While I, inside our house sit still and stare.
The feeling of your presence gone, I fear.
A helpless heart will take a demon’s dare,
To go to where you don’t exist at all,
For I can’t miss you if you are not there.
I’ve shattered my whole soul in false love’s fall:
There’s nothing left to do, no more to know—
The flowers are in flames beneath the tree.
The mouse, like me, had no place left to go.
I’m growing tired of looking at the tree.
The future holds just emptiness, I know.
Without you life has nothing left for me.
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Cathy McDonald has been writing poetry on and off since 1965 and lives a secluded life in the countryside.
This is quite gut-wrenching. You’ve successfully captured the sense of emptiness.
Loneliness is like death on two legs; depression ensues. Very sad but often true. Poor mouse
The mouse was a great metaphor. My favorite line was “a helpless heart will take a demon’s dare”. Not only is it TRUE, but you made it BEAUTIful with alliteration.
Hard not to feel and live the poet’s emptiness while reading this poem.
Best regards,
Paddy
You’ve done a fine job in capturing the message of emptiness and depression. Not an easy task. Good work.
What a profoundly sad poem. Good for you for putting it all out there.
Those who have loved and suffered loss share that perpetual feeling of emptiness.
You’ve conveyed a feeling of utter loss in this poem, Cathy, and vulnerability with the mouse.
Thanks for the read.
A moving rendition of loss, using a traditional form. Well written.