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Words I Dared Not Whisper

I've written of longing and pensive fears, of sorrow, pain and my ravished emotions. Tomes of poetry are an expose' of my soul before my pen ran dry and my heart resigned. Despoiled by devotion and ribbons of lies is a tarnished ring, my circle of gold. Love's wounds on paper, continued to bleed. Poems in testament to what once had been real. In dust-laden books I shall never again read are Sonnets beaded with ardor, I chose to impart now lie hidden from my eyes, impaled by a dart. Each one a dagger thrust to the pith of my heart. With a sigh, I filled my ink well one last time to pen the lines, I render in my last confession. Words I had dared not whisper into your ear. I lingered just a moment to wipe an errant tear, but on parchment, they fell in rapid succession then wrote with quivering lips and trembling fingers. "When I lie pale and cold in death's possession my love will live on, flowing beyond death's door. When my eyes are closed, lips tinted pale blue and the rhythmic beat of my heart is no more ~ maybe then you will admit that you loved me, too." 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 23 Contest Sponsored by Mark Toney. Originally posted on 12/19/2019

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Sam Kauffman

Date: 1/13/2023 11:13:00 AM

Indeed, Lin, love "lives on!" Your expressions of grieving for things unsaid and words unspoken are pure poetry - a journey into your heart. Congratulations on your win. Blessings of comfort.

Gary Radice

Date: 1/7/2023 3:54:00 AM

You writings have a classical style to them Lin and yet the themes you explore remain pertinent to today. This winning ink drips with poignancy and conveys a hurt deep inside that feels so real. Cheers - Gary

Lin Lane
Date: 1/7/2023 5:42:00 AM

Thank you ever so kindly for your remarks, Gary. They mean a lot to me because I value your artistry. That deep hurt was very real, but it was years ago. I still wear a few scars across my heart, but I've learned to live with them.

John Watt

Date: 1/6/2023 11:03:00 PM

Lin, to me the best part of the marathon is that it affords us an opportunity to pull back the curtain on some of these poetic jewels of the past that perhaps had their moment in the sun but have been out of sight and mind for too long. I read this transfixed with your power of expressing emotions that many of us would shrug and say "there are no words". But you show (over and over) that there ARE words, and you inspire us all to dig deeply to communicate those deep waters with fresh phrasing. The death scene at the end is so magnificently worded, but every line that leads up to it is carefully measured to set the scene. I thought "Despoiled by devotion and ribbons of lies is a tarnished ring, my circle of gold" was particularly powerful. Congrats for your podium win, and thanks for inspiring! ~ John

Lin Lane
Date: 1/7/2023 5:39:00 AM

You're right about old jewels we might otherwise have missed. John, I always enjoy reading your comments, not only to me, but to others because you have such a sincere complimentary style of acknowledging their creations. I am always thrilled when a reader makes a point of enlightening me as to what line(s) stood out to them, and you do that so thoughtfully. I am ever grateful for your friendship and eloquent comments as well as your talented poetry. Thank you.

Valsa George

Date: 1/5/2023 4:09:00 PM

"I lingered just a moment to wipe an errant tear, but on parchment, they fell in rapid succession/ then wrote with quivering lips and trembling fingers." This is so deeply touching. I sense in these lines the bleeding of a torn heart. Just from imagination, you cannot write with so much poignancy. Somewhere in your heart lies the deep scar of unrequited love. Lin, life doesn't always give what we long.Sometimes it makes us think that we are in a blind alley. But there is escape if we try hard. We have to let some painful memories go from our heart. Deeply melancholic and moving. Congratulations on your podium win Lin

Lin Lane
Date: 1/7/2023 5:34:00 AM

Long ago, my heart bled for a love lost to me, but it wasn't unrequited. Some scars never heal completely, but we move on to find happiness in other places and in other hearts. Thank you for your caring comments, Valsa.

Beata Agustin

Date: 1/5/2023 4:04:00 AM

Congrats! Thanks for sharing this. Meanwhile, by God's grace, I greet you with the peace and joy from the Lord toward a prosperous New Year 2023 along this present: "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23 of the King James Bible). God bless you.

Lin Lane
Date: 1/5/2023 6:15:00 AM

Thank you, Beata. I'm aware of the chance to gain eternal life through God's merciful love.

Mark Toney

Date: 1/4/2023 8:01:00 PM

Lin, your writing is so descriptive I can see the tragedy play out in my mind's eye in vivid realism. "I lingered just a moment to wipe an errant tear, ~ but on parchment, they fell in rapid succession ~ then wrote with quivering lips and trembling fingers." Devastating but oh-so-good. Congratulations on your podium finish on Mile 23 of my 2022 Poetry Marathon Contest. Keep your running shoes on because Mile 24 has already started.

Lin Lane
Date: 1/5/2023 6:15:00 AM

Thank you once again for the placement awarded my entry in Mile 23, Mark. I never planned on being among the front runners after having missed the first 7 miles. I wear no rose-colored glasses to see myself catching up in a sprint over the last few miles, but I'm enjoying the camaraderie and the competition.

Susan Ashley

Date: 1/4/2023 5:53:00 PM

Dear Lin, I am mesmerized by the deep dark beauty of your soulful heart's imagination. Metaphorical riches and textured emotive imagery fill this magnificent piece to overflow the brim of my grateful poetic cup. Congratulations for your excellent win in Mark's contest. Warmest wishes, my friend.. ~Susan

Lin Lane
Date: 1/5/2023 6:12:00 AM

Susan, when this was written I was still grieving. It is true that most hearts heal in time, and mine has. Thank you for appreciating the emotional imagery I tried to paint with my pen.

M. L. Kiser

Date: 12/20/2019 11:37:00 AM

Wow such emotion; beautiful.

Lin Lane
Date: 12/20/2019 11:47:00 AM

Thanks a lot for liking it, M.L. It is rather emotional.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 12/19/2019 8:55:00 PM

A powerful write with inner beauty, Lin.

Lin Lane
Date: 12/20/2019 2:34:00 AM

Thank you so very much, Caren.

Constance La France

Date: 12/19/2019 8:26:00 PM

Lin your poem is so beautifully written and I love each line that drips of emotion well done and a fav!

Lin Lane
Date: 12/20/2019 2:32:00 AM

I knew you would take this one to heart. Life fills us with emotions and when that emotion is heartache, writing helps us to pour out our grief ~ if only for a moment. Thank you for reading and commenting, Constance.

Sandra Adams

Date: 12/19/2019 7:05:00 PM

wow... this is deep and powerful Lin... this one lingers on like a lost love...or loved one gone from life... some people will always remain in our hearts and live in memories... some will linger on the edges of our souls!

Lin Lane
Date: 12/20/2019 2:28:00 AM

Thanks for your perceptive response, Sandra. In either case, we are at the mercy of our memories ~ whether we wish to recall them or not.

John Hamilton

Date: 12/19/2019 3:37:00 PM

Wow Lin...what a poem, I see by your comment you don't know what prompted this, I feel the same most times. I don't know where my writes come from but it's cool to read later on and say I wrote that, so goes the gift, and yours mesmerizes! This is melancholy at it's best and I love it!

Lin Lane
Date: 12/20/2019 2:24:00 AM

I thank you for such an accolade for these verses, John. I read your lyrics and lines of other poets here that touch me deeply and you're right. Each one is a gift that we can open again and again. I go back and read some of my own and feel tears building over the memories that caused me to express the pain that was in my heart. In some cases, the hurt remains. It's inescapable.

Chris Green

Date: 12/19/2019 12:53:00 PM

Wow, that was definitely deep and affecting my friend. Your words resonate within me as I have felt this same thing in the past and it still lingers within the shadows of my heart. Beautifully done Lin.

Lin Lane
Date: 12/19/2019 12:58:00 PM

Thank you, Chris. It doesn't always take a physical death to make you feel like one has taken place. A love that was strong will always linger in our hearts...the good memories as well as those we'd rather forget, but cannot.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 12/19/2019 12:46:00 PM

Quite a deep and dark verse Lin, with a sad ending. Tom

Lin Lane
Date: 12/19/2019 12:49:00 PM

Yes, it is, Tom. I've no clue as to what may have prompted it, but there it sits. As always...thank you for your thoughts.