ESTRANGED

I cannot believe
I knew you beyond your name.
A knowledge so intense,
it denied clarity or shame

and yet, there you are now so intimately known,
yet so visibly estranged
Cold, distant, remotely deranged
or is it just me -
alienated, disaffirmed and discarded
by this change

Now it befalls me to realise -
all that I thought I knew was nothing,
compared to what was held from view.
You chose her
and what remains of this Love
I have to eschew...

BB 9 December '10

About This Poem

Last Few Words: Was afraid the content was too convoluted - but the idea of knowing someone beyond their name - just stuck with me. A person is generally "known" by their name - but only superficially. To know someone beyond their name... well it's self evident isn't it?

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: Tip of Southern Africa, ZAF

Favorite Poets: Too many to narrow down, but briefly :, AUDEN, T.S. ELIOT, DICKENSON, RILKE, THOREAU, RUMI ... the list is endless. Am inspired by many, especially those that live lives of "quiet desperation, and go to the grave with a song still in them" (THoreau)

Comments

Bonitaj

14 years 6 months ago

THanks Ian!

I think I used the analogy of "the name" thing to represent how it was only a cover over the inner form - and in this instance I felt I knew this person a lot more intimately... or at least I thought I did! ;)
best wishes for the upcoming year!
Bonita

scribbler

14 years 6 months ago

names

a name is hardly a person just their identification tag. The true person is learned only over time and familiarity..................scribbler

Victorclaude

14 years 6 months ago

"You chose her

"You chose her
and what remains of this Love
I have to eschew..."

Either there are too many people to choose from, or the heart is as fickle as can possibly be. True love is hard to find, but not difficult to keep. Too bad it is often one-sided.