He sits by the bed, holding his
brother’s hand, weakening,
the hand of the one who
loves him. He watches the
breathing, labored, the
eyes, sunken; the
body a fragile blue
translucent shell of the
life that was, before.
The room smells of
flowers and death, a
smell metallic, oddly hopeful.
Why did you love me so
long, he asks; why did you
love me if the face of what
everyone said, what
everyone believed, what
everyone condemned?
Because you loved me
first, because you loved me
in the face of what everyone
said, what everyone believed,
what everyone condemned.
Because you loved me first.
Do you hurt, he asks.
Only when I love, he says.
Only then.
To see other poems submitted for One Shot Wednesday, please visit One Stop Poetry.
I just went through a similiar situation with a friend who was very ill and near death.
ReplyDeleteYou captured the emotions.
Oh my. How beautiful and provocative and poignant.
ReplyDeleteOnly hurt when we love.. but love is what we are called to, and as His ambassadors, love is what we must continue.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem Glynn.
Very moving, Glynn.
ReplyDelete"The room smells of / flowers and death, a /smell metallic, oddly hopeful." It's a smell that I've never forgotten.
Moving...very moving...I have no words except to say thanks.
ReplyDeleteEden Ahbez wrote a song, "Nature Boy" sung by Nat King Cole.
ReplyDeleteHere is the wine to pair with your proffered communion wafer this morning: I think we all passed the cup to each other, in remembrance, as we read this one today.
"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return"
wow. Thanks Glynn.
ReplyDeletei have been to funerals growing up. my two cousin's is the funeral that had many pink carnations. now, when i smell carnations, i always think funeral.
ReplyDeletesmell takes a seat at the memory-making conference table.
you say so much here about Love.
oh but reading your poem hurts so good...dang, crying so early in the morning...really a beautiful and heart pulling piece glynn. happy one shot tonight...
ReplyDeleteyou know... yeah. this hurts. It's a good one, Glynn.
ReplyDeleteGlynn you have painted a beautiful picture of what brotherly (and sisterly) love is about - on the surface. The deeper read leads me to much, much more...
ReplyDeleteThank-you for sharing....
Very emotional and heart touching poem.nice post.
ReplyDeleteHemant
Your poem stirs many emotions, Glynn. The section recounting the smell, which Maureen quotes, got to me. Heartfelt One Shot! Appreciate it
ReplyDeleteFirst time visiting your blog. This poem had me in tears. Incredible.
ReplyDeletethis is from the point of view of one of your fiction characters, yes? I love where this is going, or where it's taking you.
ReplyDeletethe blue translucent shell. just that.
this reminds me of Mother Teresa when she took the woman from the street, washed her ...the woman asked why...and she said...because I love you.....great One Stop...the greatest Love ever...bkm
ReplyDeleteWow what a powerful piece, dark and yet oddly hopeful. A very nice write.
ReplyDeleteSuch a touching beautiful piece, well done.
ReplyDeleteHow true it is we only hurt when we love. Very well written. Excellent poem.
ReplyDeleteOh..this one touched my heart deep Glynn, powerful, and i have been to a similar situation with my grandmother..somehow all the memories crawled back..touchy one shot!
ReplyDeleteYou have captured the essence of emotion here with poignancy and grace. I work in an ICU and know so well these fragile, hopeful, helpless moments. Excellent writing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
This is so touching - so beautiful. It is a perfect love poem.
ReplyDeletebeautifully sad. great piece!
ReplyDeleteI am deeply moved by this wonderful heartfelt and touching poem =D not everything in life can we choose to run away from, but to accept it =/
ReplyDeletesuch a sad mournful piece tugs at the emotions, made me feel like a guilty voyeur witnessing such a tender heartfelt sorrowful moment
ReplyDeleteTender, touching, and beautiful.
ReplyDeletevery beautiful and touching. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNicely done Glynn...
ReplyDeleteI'm truly touched and it made me tear up Glynn because i have been through this with so many of my family members and you reminded me of them. So beautiful and thanks for sharing it with oneshot~
ReplyDeleteThe room smells of
ReplyDeleteflowers and death, a
smell metallic, oddly hopeful.
This reminds me of the double deaths in my family in matter of six months.
Very touching poetry. :)
i got a good dribble in my mind reading this...I love the depth of the poem...there must be total concentration to grasp the message...thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
That was beautifully written. Wonderful work.
ReplyDeleteThe emotions in this are raw. And the ending is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteExcellent.
Poignant... the last line is so powerful.... "Only then" I felt missing a ? mark there... Only then?
ReplyDeleteWell its just a thought....
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
stunning on so many levels. thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant. The last stanza for me says it all. Succinctly and powerfully. Love and Light, Sender
ReplyDeleteBrilliantly evocative. So touching..
ReplyDeletenowhere island
Love is like that, so complex and diverse and divergent at times.
ReplyDeleteA nice read, Glynn!
Familiar scene rendered fresh, striking and heart-tuggingly true. Effective - which in my book, is one of the highest compliments I can pay any work. :)
ReplyDeleteYou have beautifully captured emotion with your words, and writ an unfaltering image of love in all its complexities. Powerful stuff, with a beautiful ending.
ReplyDeleteThis was a powerful read for me,,,, "The room smells of / flowers and death,... all too familiar and when you love -- you never forget -- certain scents trigger my memory and the tears start flowing, the same as reading this poem,now I won't forget your poem either.
ReplyDeleteJoanny
It is one of the truest things in life that love brings pain, but without love, life isn't worth living.
ReplyDeleteThis pierces my heart, Glynn. Beautiful and deeply spiritual.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Belinda
thehalfwaypoint.net
The thread of death weaves through many poems I've read today including the one I posted. That's an interesting co-incidence. Your poem so very powerful, reminds me of those intense death experiences of my own. When my husband died, I thought my own life had gone out and yet I had to leave hospital without him and carry on alone. It was a death of love; a death with more than just his presence as a loss. Thank you for this profound work. Gay (@beachanny)
ReplyDeleteNone can live a life that avoids the feelings you express in this poem. Nicely done.
ReplyDeletehi glynn...so very well written...the photo linked with the opening took me back to a few moments....but then you ask of love and the reason because you loved me first....this brought home so much to me with regard to my turbulent relationship with my own brother...amazing work glynn..cheers pete
ReplyDeleteI love emotionally charged writing.....!
ReplyDeleteReminded me that I never had the opportunity to say goodbye to my brother. I discovered his death six months later via the internet when researching for a story. Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. Hope your week goes well.
ReplyDeleteI feel like listening to you sitting in a coffee shop.
ReplyDeleteonly your words paint a more romantic and more painful atmosphere....
heartfelt lines,
absolutely magical ending!
Very touching, indeed.
ReplyDeleteAn emotional piece, leaves a bit of mystery, longing for more, which is impossible.
ReplyDeleteWonderful meter and language usage. A lovely poem that treats its delicate subject well.
ReplyDeleteEvery line reminds me of Vincent and Theo Van Gogh...
ReplyDeleteBeautifully told.
Astonishing! "The room smells of
ReplyDeleteflowers and death, a
smell metallic, oddly hopeful."
Wow== so strong-- congrats, beautiful!
http://mairmusic.wordpress.com/
Do you know why I fail as a nurse??
ReplyDeleteBecause love hurts. without it though we would be meaningless beings.
a poignant, painful poem
thanks Glynn for sharing with One Shot
Moon smiles
Purple poignancy... Masterfully written :)
ReplyDeleteRegards~ Sayandeep
Glynn, what a beautiful poem. Like many before me have said, it's touching and moving. Love does many things including hurt, but in the end, we are better for have knowing and loved others. Great One Shot.
ReplyDelete