.

Emptiness

I search for you in every face I see.
True love should last forever and a day:
Its book not closed until all chapters end.

You walked into my life then walked away:
There is no laughter left that I can hear.
Each endless night will never become day.

The white owl leaves our tree to kill a mouse,
While I, inside our house sit still and stare.
The feeling of your presence gone, I fear.

A helpless heart will take a demon’s dare,
To go to where you don’t exist at all,
For I can’t miss you if you are not there.

I’ve shattered my whole soul in false love’s fall:
There’s nothing left to do, no more to know—
The flowers are in flames beneath the tree.

The mouse, like me, had no place left to go.
I’m growing tired of looking at the tree.
The future holds just emptiness, I know.
Without you life has nothing left for me.

.

.

Cathy McDonald has been writing poetry on and off since 1965 and lives a secluded life in the countryside.

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9 Responses

  1. Cynthia Erlandson

    This is quite gut-wrenching. You’ve successfully captured the sense of emptiness.

    Reply
    • Tom Woodliff

      Loneliness is like death on two legs; depression ensues. Very sad but often true. Poor mouse

      Reply
  2. Michael Pietrack

    The mouse was a great metaphor. My favorite line was “a helpless heart will take a demon’s dare”. Not only is it TRUE, but you made it BEAUTIful with alliteration.

    Reply
  3. Paddy Raghunathan

    Hard not to feel and live the poet’s emptiness while reading this poem.

    Best regards,

    Paddy

    Reply
  4. Russel Winick

    You’ve done a fine job in capturing the message of emptiness and depression. Not an easy task. Good work.

    Reply
  5. Paul Oratofsky

    What a profoundly sad poem. Good for you for putting it all out there.

    Reply
  6. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Those who have loved and suffered loss share that perpetual feeling of emptiness.

    Reply
  7. Paul Freeman

    You’ve conveyed a feeling of utter loss in this poem, Cathy, and vulnerability with the mouse.

    Thanks for the read.

    Reply
  8. David Whippman

    A moving rendition of loss, using a traditional form. Well written.

    Reply

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