There are days I still can feel
the breeze of youth gently stir my soul
days remembered of grace and lightness
when faith in truth sparked splendid dreams
those days of you
you and me
when all we touched was fresh and new
and the world was full of wonder
when we were certain we’d live forever
our strength made each day a great adventure
those carefree days
days we pledged one to the other
as we dreamed dreams of a magical life
full of promise and wonder
of golden tomorrows
that would flourish and rise
rise in spectral beauty
brightly gleaming
brilliant through sweet years
of accomplishment
of joy
but not now
now I’ve grown unyielding
rigidly braced
against the winds of time and fate
my soul rooted in life’s demands
demands and darkling demons
that find me searching
for life’s blessings
cursing its burdens
these brittle days
days bent by the yoke of worry
heavy with the weight of loss
haunted by the ghost of memory
the lonely days when I think of you
these days of emptiness
emptiness so great
that I know not
how this void can ever be filled
when those so rich in grace
have departed
departed too
such wit and wisdom
such honest kindness
so much pure love
has now been lost
lost forever
to the void
ones who understood the need for giving
in a careless world darkened by greed
tender hearts
truly unselfish
unselfish and all embracing
whose warmth was ever present
my aching heart questions how
how can this void be filled
when such brilliant light
has been extinguished
extinguished
but not forgotten
because I will not forget
I will remember you
all of you
and all those days
days of joy and love
that’s how I will
fill this void
with the seeds of friendship
you planted deep inside my heart
now filled with memories
memories that will nurture
that will make these seeds grow
make me gentler
and me — the world to make better
better for your having been
good-bye my friends
you all are in my heart
now as ever
ever will I tend these seeds
and think of you
for the love goes on and on
I will not forget
not ever
*
rob kistner © 2022
More loop poetry at: dVerse
Wow, brother, this is massive, in content and message. You had me reeling with your version of the loop . Your lines are so long (per parameters), they are also stanzas; tricky and clever. I, for one, feel honored to be your friend from long standing, from the Magpie days; we were both still on our feet back then.
Thank you Glenn. Our friendship over the years has grown in depth and meaning for me brother, as it moves through its second decade. Firmer yes, when first we met out here in the cyber world — but perhaps more grateful now, and ever improving writers. I couldn’t get the line looping to accommodate all of what I ultimately wanted to say, in a fluid manner — so I employed some poetic license, I feel earned over my many decades of wordsmithing.
Those seeds of friendship can fill the void for sure. Good memories to make us feel tender and blessed. I like how your stanza are being linked by the first word and last word of the stanza. Note that the loop challenge also calls for the last word of the line, to being the first word on the next line, in a stanza. As always, appreciate your poem and hope all is well with you.
Thank you Grace. I tried the tight loop parameters as put forth, couldn’t accommodate all I wanted to say in a way that felt fluid. I might try another one on another subject less close to my heart, for the sole purpose of adherence the the form. Gonna have to let my “writers boil” simmer first.
I felt your heart in this, very poignant and the looping stanzas worked well!
It wasn’t pure SOC, but it flowed naturally, unforced.
Such a thoughtful and beautifully expressed journey of memory – the stanza loop works so well.
Thank you very much Marion… 🙂
Great tempo, and sustenance of the format in a long poem.
Thank you Reena… 🙂
A beautiful ode to friendship which i believe is the most precious of relationships.
Thsnk you Mary… 🙂 A long sustained friendship can certainly be one of the most altruistic relationship.
Rob, reading through this, I was reminded of one of The Kinks’ great songs:
https://youtu.be/tuUoSuO_hfg
I like how the mood shifts through the poem. Nicely done, my friend.
Thank you Lisa. Yes, I remember Davies and his mates doing that tune.
Extinguished but not forgotten – the hope of many, my hope especially, thank you for this gem Rob, and a clever take on the prompt and an interesting loop form too.
Thank you Paul, very much.