Lone Poet’s Love Poem -“Castaway (Retrieved)”
Castaway (Retrieved)
When he’s away,
she sleeps sideways, lolling
in a sunken corner of
the bed where
gravity weighs
heavy, computer serving
as splintered
guard rail. Sometimes, in the
sway of blue-light
wavelengths, she’ll send out
messages as if in bottles
that can swim, the words
protruding fins, defined and
sleek, above glassy surfaces.
Other times, the words tie themselves
into knuckled knots, as if
love, stranded by
the fraying self, could weave a net that,
when thrown upon chopped
waters, captured a
salvageable catch. (Not
typically.)
But if, in the end, she can collect
the strands, solitude
takes flight, net acting
as its own safety, the knots points
of engagement, syllables frolicking, the
bed’s entire coverlet
afloat. She will call him then,
reading aloud, and he will say,
that’s beautiful, and the words–his/hers–
cannot be said to hold her, but will
lap against her brain, a susurrating
companion to the ebbed night’s sleep.
(As always, all rights reserved.)
The above a sort of lone poet’s Valentine’s Day poem–posted here for all of you who have been kind enough to follow and support me throughout the last couple of years, and the wonderful dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night.
Explore posts in the same categories: elephants, poetry, UncategorizedTags: elephant painting with net, love poem of lone poet, manicddaily, poem about writing poetry in bed, solitary valentine's poem
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ManicDDaily 
February 14, 2012 at 4:16 pm
i much like all the image you use here…makes it so vivid…and these words sure have a life of their own..happy valentines day k.
February 14, 2012 at 5:46 pm
This is full of a sort of self-sufficiency and yet reaching out that makes the images quite real and the whole poem just work smoothly–I especially relate to the “Not typically” in this part:
“..Other times, the words tie themselves
into knuckled knots, as if
love, stranded by
the fraying self, could weave a net that,
when thrown upon chopped
waters, captured a
salvageable catch. (Not
typically.)..”
February 14, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Yes, well, that’s the only line with a true sense of humor!
February 14, 2012 at 5:55 pm
smiles….having been apart, traveling for work often in my past…i appreciate this poem all the more k…the lapping against there at the end…even when you cant be together…had to watch it though my wife always hid a knife under my pillow and sometimes forgot to take it out when i got home…
February 14, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Ooch! Be careful! Thankfully, in NYC, only afraid of bombs. (sort of ha.) K.
February 14, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Being away can be tough, you described it perfectly, nicely done.
February 14, 2012 at 9:45 pm
There’s so much loneliness in love, sometimes. Silences that we fill with dreams, bits of hope, jagged at times, at others soft bells of joy. Your poem captures both, without sharpness, without ecstasy, but a quiet sadness that makes us mindful of how we do or do not fail those we love.
February 14, 2012 at 11:02 pm
I worked away from home for almost ten years–every week I was out of town. I can certainly relate to this!
Beautifully written, too!
http://news.yahoo.com/negotiators-reach-tentative-payroll-tax-cut-pact-000507483.html
February 15, 2012 at 8:27 am
Loneliness can be difficult–sometimes its only saving grace is that it forces us to create these moving reflections. Very fine poem.
February 15, 2012 at 8:35 am
Lovely and vivid. Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!
February 15, 2012 at 5:55 pm
That, dear manic, is love…….. Congratulations……
February 16, 2012 at 8:04 am
Fine piece. I’d be inclined to make some stanza breaks, but that’s a small issue 🙂
February 16, 2012 at 8:47 am
Thanks, Luke. I think you are right. This one was one of those written very quickly and with plenty of distractions. It’s a bit hard for me to look at it yet, but I think stanza breaks would make sense and maybe putting whole bit about the words in the bottle later or taking out. I find it somewhat hard to revise things after posting (at least for a while), as I feel a great embarrassment to look at them for a bit! My life still rather topsy-turvy and jammed but hope to get a bit more focused soon and check back in to other site. K.
February 16, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Face them and edit! It must be done! Hone and hone! This way we can bring our work ever closer to perfection (never reaching it, of course, as there is no such thing as the perfect artwork and if there was it would invalidate the very act of art and our humanity – or perhaps ‘humanness’).
February 17, 2012 at 11:35 am
This is an awesome piece of work … my favourite is a whole block:
she’ll send out
messages as if in bottles
that can swim, the words
protruding fins, defined and
sleek, above glassy surfaces.
Other times, the words tie themselves
into knuckled knots, as if
love, stranded by
the fraying self, could weave a net that,
when thrown upon chopped
waters, captured a
salvageable catch.
Awesome metaphor….
February 17, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Thanks.
February 19, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Many great images.
And I dig the structure as well, if that counts for anything.