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Repressed

She wrote to him that cold night,

the ink bled through.

And though the letter made its way
into the affable flame,
the fireplace held the charred
ashes of their lives long after,

as did the surface of her desk
and the cruel stains on her fingertips.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

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

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Country/Region: United States

Favorite Poets: I tend to read Ted Kooser, Jim Harrison, Billy Collins, Paul Simon, Robert Frost. I like minimalist poetry, and poems reflecting on nature and Mother Earth.

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Comments

Geezer

Geezer

6 months 4 weeks ago

And did she...

confess her heart, or write her last will and testament in ink and feed it to the flames? Consigning her mortal soul to a life without love? Sorry, just couldn't help myself... ~ Geez.
.

Lavender

Lavender

6 months 3 weeks ago

Hello, Geezer!

Maybe all of the above! This took shape when reflecting on a friend who is in a very repressed relationship, but any interpretation is likely.
Thank you for reading and always offering me more to think about!
L

Geezer

Geezer

6 months 3 weeks ago

It is...

always my pleasure, to respond to your writes. You are a springboard to the many other paths that open with your words.
~ Geez.
.

R

Ray Miller

6 months 3 weeks ago

Repressed

My initial impression was that the letter had been consigned to the flames by "him", but I can see that's possibly not the case. I see the heart of the poem is the comparison between "tidy flame" and "messy parts", but I'm not sure that works well. I can just about see a tidy flame, but messy parts is too vague an expression, I think.

Lavender

Lavender

6 months 3 weeks ago

Hello, Ray,

I appreciate your time with this. I can see your point, and will work on a revision in a few places.
Thank you!
L