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Winter's Chill

Winter’s chill grates against my teeth
As I watch you descend,
To greet the ground and reside in tortured slumber.
And what was it you said you were dying for?
I used to know; only now I can’t seem to remember.
Was it worth the fight? Will they remember you at all?
You’ll only be a statue to them – a graven memorial.

My black dress is torn by the wind.
I always hated wearing black;
Still, you insisted on buying it for me,
a little black dress of my own.

I wore it that night in Chicago.
You held me close and kissed me so vehemently
That I swore to myself you’d never leave.
Your chest was warm as it heaved with love,
And an expectant sigh broke from your lips
As you smiled in shuddered exaltation,
Whispered my name.

But now all I hear
Is the sound of gunshots and bombs.
I never expected to wear my dress again;
Yet, now I must.
The soil so eagerly separates us.

And somehow every memory of you
Is consumed with fire and copper –
Just as you were.
The thought of your melted skin,
Of blackened lungs –
How can it be?
The same hand that I held in mine,
The same lips that I kissed –
Oh! Those silken lips
blushed for me.
The blood pulsed from underneath
Your snowy neck – It was life.

Only now I taste soot.
I’ve found a bullet where your lips should be
And my lips are greeted with rotting flesh.

When you left, you promised you’d return –
Only, I didn’t think you’d return like this
As they bury you underneath the loam.

Author notes

"Shatter my soul, Let my heart ache."

A contest entry

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Comments

1 - 9 of 9

  • trekkergirl
    May 17

    Edit | Reply

    Oh my Lord

    I have to say this is an excellent write. Not only do I feel this grief you are writing about... But your imagery painted a dark soul shattering picture for me. Excellent job. And the background went well with the poem. Great write. Thanks for sharing this with us.


    • Hannah Sophia
      May 17
      Edit | Reply
      You are very welcome. Thank you so much for taking the time to really understand the poem. =)


  • etoile
    May 9
    Edit | Reply
    you had quite a while to left-align your piece for this contest, so I'm going to have to DQ this.
    sorry.


  • Reaper-117
    May 5

    Edit | Reply
    There are alot of things I could say here, about the nobility of sacrifice nad the need for soldiers, but somehow I know that no amount of consoling prattle will ever make the loss of a loved one any easier to cope with. I thank you for sharing this poem in my contest.
    I feel inclined, as a man from a military family with a possible military future, to say one thing:
    The most common words uttered by a dying soldier are "Tell my wife I loved her".
    I would be surprised if in his last moments he didn't hurt more from the idea of never seing you again than he did from his wounds. May the Gods bring you peace and reunite you in the next life.

    Thanks for entering.

    • Hannah Sophia
      May 17
      Edit | Reply
      I appreciate what you have to say and I agree with you. I haven't personally experienced the loss of a love in this way, but I wanted to explore the pain and anger associated with this type of lose. It wasn't so much of a political exposition as an emotional exploration. Thank you very much for the comment.


  • grammabuff
    May 4
    Edit | Reply
    Wonderful! So poignant and heart-felt. "I always hated wearing black" portending the path of the poem - excellent.

  • etoile
    May 2

    Edit | Reply
    we asked for left align in the contest.
    but otherwise this is filled with such emotion, it held me captivated all the way through. the ending had such great imagery, I liked it.

    goodluck and thanks for entering


  • Wings of Insanity
    April 29

    Edit | Reply
    Very beautiful. So much sorrow but yet I still adore it.

  • ea silver member
    April 29

    Edit | Reply
    Standing at the grave, watching someone you loved be lowered into it and the following exposee of the relationship, which was obviously young and sensual, is striking and evocative and makes you want to know more about the couple. I'm thinking he was a soldier but it could be a city crime that took his life.

    "The soil so eagerly separates us" is a particularly good line and I like the urgent lament of her remembering how his lips once blushed for her, as if she can hardly believe that ever happened.

1 - 9 of 9