the horror of that night
holds the seal tight
the memory riveted
grief’s blackened key
securely barring entry
none can pass
his bitter resolve
makes certain
none will try
this is a stark forbidden place
stoney
crypt-like
cold and barren
as the moon
unyielding
lifeless
a wasteland of the lost
inhabited by the dead
the gate grown over
by a tangle of despair
and anger
but see
a shadow falls across the threshold
someone approaches
a comely being
warm and alive
lays gentle siege
threatening to breach
his hardened fortress
but this lovely creature
fair and fragile
can not possibly gain entrance
must not
he will resist
this is wrong
this is trespass
this is cruel betrayal
of his lost beloved
he has no right
to leave this place of sorrow
no right
but his stronghold is succumbing
falling
to this delicate advance
he is vulnerable
confused
but it is useless to resist
searching with a patient heart
she has found the key
grasped in her loving hand
it has become golden
fingers tenderly enfold it
gently
she slides it into the lock
turning with great care
he is defenseless
he feels his heart slowly open
the long forgotten stir of love
begins to warm his soul
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2020
I LOVE this! You’ve taken the image, explained it and gone beyond it. The broken heart opened again. Beautifully writ!
Thank you Lillian… 🙂 In this poem I let Catrin’s art piece lead me down the golden path of love.
I’m glad she’s careful, tenderly turning that key. Great tale, Rob. I esp like how his defenselessness allows the tender re-arrival of love in the final stanza.
There is hope for everyone Ron, but sometimes it takes help — like an angel perhaps…! 🙂
A beautiful ending of how love is the key that unlocks despair! Perhaps a bit of an autobiographical poem??
I will admit that meeting my current wife of 33 years now, turned the light of love back on for me again — taking me out of the shadows of apathy, not from the abject darkness of disparity.
Awwww looking at the first poem and then seeing hope is alive and thriving with true love’s gentle nature in this one is like a dark veil lifted <3
Always darkest before the dawn… 🙂 Read my #3 (and last) for today, and you’ll find a bit of magic. I love Catrin’s images — I couldn’t stop! Writing to visual prompts is by far my favorite approach.
Oh, how nice to have a happy ending! Thank you for bringing this full circle, Rob!
Lately I have the need for a few happy endings… 🙂
A happier ending, Rob. I still want to know why he was in that dark place!
Despair is a word that gets footballed around but in fact, DESPAIR is the worst emotional and physical condition a human being can find themselves in. It can Kill you in and of itself, it can even make one so frozen that a move to take your own life is even too much. Scary place Kim. Hope you never go there. For two years after my 18-year-old son’s tragic death I went to the edge of that void of despair several times. Loved ones around me monitored me lovingly — truth is I was too fucking emotionally exhausted to kill my self. That takes strength and resolution. All i had was total despair.
I love the version when someone unlocks his heart.
There’s always hope Bjorn. 🙂
So beautifully written, Rob, and you know how I love happy endings! Only once in my life did I reach the pit of despair. I called it running out of cope. I hope to never go there again.
Thank you Bev. The only time I truly felt totally hopeless and completely despaired was when my 18-year-old son Aaron was tragically killed. That was a deep, dark, lifeless pit — and it took well over a year to get my head above it. I now how wonderful memories of my beloved son, and only occasionally some sadness — but no longer debilitating grief.
I’m glad you wrote this second version, Rob! My own father found love again after his bride (my mother) died at age 25. What depths of emotion you’ve penned!
Thank you, and I am sorry to know — that he lost a bride and you a mother — most especially at such a young age.
What a charming and tender look at how love’s overtures defeats the darkness and opens the despairing heart!
Rescue from the black hole of despair is possible — not all have the good fortune to have that rescue reach them… hence, institutionalization, or worst case, suicide. But this is about the golden light of healing.
he is defenseless
he feels his heart slowly open
the long forgotten stir of love
begins to warm his soul
The gentleness of a loved one is so difficult to resist. It works that way most times. Agreed Rob!
Hank
Love is powerful Hank.