It seems a dream now,
Everything the same
Yet different somehow, inside,
Where I still feel the pain
Longing and wronged by fate.
I could shake my fist but
It would be a waste
And whatever cathartic release
That brought would be replaced
By the empty hollow you left,
Because you’re missing and gone.
I can hardly remember your touch
But I’m missing it every day
In some way I can’t define.
Your things remain and, though it’s not much,
You remain in my mind always
Young, still here, still mine.
I’m growing to accept it
The stillness of these rooms
In the midst of your absence,
Though letting go of the grief?
It’s too soon, too soon
Too near your departure.
It makes no sense.
My heart hurts more now,
As the numbness recedes
The realization is fresh
That you’re missing and gone.
I can hardly remember your touch
But I’m missing it every day
In some way I can’t define.
Your things remain and, though it’s not much,
You remain in my mind always
Young, still here, still mine.
You’re here, in my mind,
Where you’ll always be mine,
Mine, though you’re missing and gone.
My inspiration for this came from an unusual combination of influences. I was listening to the Van Morrison station on Google Play Music, and a Bruce Springsteen song came on. I don’t usually listen to The Boss, but this song struck me deep down. It’s lyrical, beautiful, heart wrenching. Love and loss, and life goes on somehow. The song is “You’re Missing” from the album The Rising, which makes it fairly new Springsteen. I’d highly recommend a listen. I also have a friend and fellow writer who frequently takes inspiration from songs. Music informs his poetry, and it’s a huge part of his life. A lot of his poems have a song like quality, with verses and refrains. He seems at times to be in dialogue with the original material, at times taking only a cue from it, thoughts coming together at a single point and parting again. However you view this style I enjoyed giving it a try. Here’s the result. At it’s heart it’s part poem, part song. You get to choose the tune.