I followed your path,
at a distance.
You like the sun,
or any volatile star
burning a streak
towards the horizon.
A scorching vision
to those of us
watching, waiting.
Aware
that you would set
before us.
Terrified of dusk.
Sensing its arrival
anyway.
A Life Like Helios #DVersePoets #Quadrille
Published by Carol J Forrester
Carol J Forrester is a writer and a history geek. Her debut collection 'It's All In The Blood' came out November 2019. She has a 2:1 BA degree in history from Bath Spa University, enjoys judo at least twice a week, and tries to attend poetry events around the Midlands when she can. Her flash fiction story ‘Glorious Silence’ was named as River Ram Press’ short story of the month for August 2014 and her short story ‘A Visit From The Fortune Teller’ has been showcased on the literary site Ink Pantry. Her poems ‘Sunsets’ and ‘Clear Out‘ were featured on Eyes Plus Words, and two of her poems were included in the DVerse Poets Pub Publication ‘Chiaroscuro’ which is available for purchase on amazon.Her poem ‘Until The Light Gets In‘ was accepted and published at The Drabble and her poem ‘Newborn’ was published by Ink Sweat & Tears. She has been lucky enough to write guest posts for sites such as Inky Tavern and Song of The Forlorn and has hosted a number of guest bloggers on her site Writing and Works. View all posts by Carol J Forrester
I like the last three lines with sensing the arrival of the terror of dusk.
Thank you Frank. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Geez, Carol…I find myself reading this on a couple of levels, toying with the reality that I am in the dusk of life and, you know, it’s okay. I love how poetry can surprise us so often.
I love how it evokes such a varied set of views. I think the quadrille challenge has really improved my poetry over the last year and a bit. It’s one of those where less quite often is more.
So true for all of us.
I like this piece, and I agree it works on several levels, allegorical, biographical and literal. My take was as a moon watcher
I’d not considered that angle. I’ll have to take another look at the poem.
I take it that the sun setting is darkness or death. It comes anyway and the waiting terrifies all of us.
For me it’s death. I lost a friend a few years ago and whenever I miss him I write poetry about him. There’s a fair few poems.
I had a strong sense of otherworldliness Carol. An extraterrestrial encounter – or perhaps that is the scifi freak in me speaking. I really liked it!
Not quite what I was going for, but poems take you where they will and I’m really happy that you liked it.
Interesting… for every blindingly bright light that comes into our life, there will always be a sunset!
Unfortunately that is often the way
I thought of those people I’ve met who have burned too bright, and burned themselves out. The people who are wonderful and yet terrifying at the same time. It’s very atmospheric.
Wonderful and yet terrifying, I think that’s the perfect way to describe them.
Those volatile stars burning streaks towards the horizon can be fatal, Carol, especially if you’re in a relationship with them. I love how you’ve captured the inevitable in the final lines.
Thank you Kim. It was the inevitability that I really wanted to highlight so I’m glad I managed to.
Atmospheric is a great description … we know it’s coming but there is still fear
There will always be fear, even with the inevitable.
I’ve been working on that one for decades, hoping to reduce it to trepidation 🙂
Haha, I like that, I’ll have to keep it in mind.
it helps as the fear has gone about my next big adventure but have no guarantees that it wont return at the last minute …