This is another of the few poems I’ve written that don’t rhyme. I’m old fashioned (stubborn) that way. I like the melodic tone of words that blend and mingle at the end of each line. But, this one ain’t too bad. I hope you enjoy it.
I’m posting it at Jingle Poetry’s Poetry Potluck week 46. It’s a natural for the theme this week, which is, “Love and its not being there”. Take a look if you have a few minutes.
The Sun Came Up Again
The sun came up again
Across the street
In the neighbor’s yard
Through early budding tree limbs
The sky glowed fiery red
Then golden
Then dazzling white
As another day began
A slash of light
Fell ‘cross my arms as I wrote
The thought crossed my mind
That I’d said too much
Heard too much
And it had changed things
I wondered
If they had changed for the better
I hoped so
I’ve changed things before
By being too open
Too honest
I’ve watched the sun come up
Regretting words I’d spoken
The day before
You would think I’d learn
I have learned
I’ve learned
That the sun will come up
Sometimes you will see it
And feel it
Sometimes you won’t
But it’s there
Love is like that
At times you can bask in its warmth
And feel its arms wrapped around you
A flash of it will lay across your heart
Then at other times
It falls silent
And cool
It’s still there
Just not as obvious
You have to know it’s there
Never doubt it
Never turn away
Just know that behind the cloud
Behind the mountain
Behind whatever has made the warm glow fade
It is there
You have to let it be there
You have to want it to be there
It can’t always be glorious
It can’t always be spring
Copyright © 1998 C. Mashburn
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Marbles In My Pocket ~ The Official Blog of Charles L. Mashburn ~ Poems, Short Stories, and random thoughts from the author of "Be Still... and know that I am God" 
Sherry Mashburn said
Good observations . . . I think it takes some maturity to fully understand this wisdom.
charlesmashburn said
Who you talkin to, lady. It’s me, Charlie! (Your husband!) Maturity? Wisdom? Did we have wine with lunch?
A.B. Thomas said
hardest lesson that anyone ever has to learn….
charlesmashburn said
Thanks for the visit and comment, A.B.!
Anna Montgomery said
The thought crossed my mind
That I’d said too much
Heard too much
And it had changed things
Your poem posits some profound ruminations on the nature of intimacy, I enjoyed it. See, we’re having a conversation :).
charlesmashburn said
Oh. Okay. I hope you know that was all tongue in cheek. Sort of. I am quite amazed at your vocabulary!
Thanks for the visit and comment! (and conversation)
naramalone said
Wow. I never thought about love quite this way, that it can be there and unseen, like the sun sometimes is. Excellent comparison. You write about changing things. You changed the way I think about love.
charlesmashburn said
Nara… that is a wonderful comment. I fI changed things–how you think about love–as the poem says, I hope I changed it for the better.
Life: Between the lines said
I dig it, really nice and it goes with my present frame of mind 🙂 Thank you C. 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Thanks so much for the visit and nice comments. I hope your frame of mind is a good one!
acoustic3 said
This is beautiful. Amazing.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you! Your comments are beautiful and amazing, as well! I appreciate them very much!
kshawnedgar said
Heartwarming like the sun. Everyday lessons, every day.
charlesmashburn said
Thanks! Your visits and comments are always appreciated!
Andy said
This is such a beautiful, heartfelt write, Charles. Only someone who has experienced love will truly understand its meaning. I like all of it very much, but the ending sealed it for me.
Thank you for your kind words over at my blog. I too have written many poems for my wife. Perhaps, with her permission, I shall post one of them in the near future.
Enjoy Potluck & have a great week ahead!
charlesmashburn said
Thanks, Andy. Those are mighty fine comments coming from you, sir. You are the professor and we the students when it comes to writing about love.
Thank you for coming by for a visit and leaving some wonderful comments.
Jingle said
so true, rainbow shows up after a t-storm,
love the uplifting spirits or positive take.
Happy Potluck.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, JIngle. Your visits and comments are always enjoyed and appreciated!
Ina said
A lovely poem, very deep and original.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Ina! Your visits and comments are always appreciated!
Catie Eliza said
It really caught my attention (see i clearly DIDN’T get straight back to work…) when I read this poem, the words about having said too much, heard too much and wondering if the change will be okay, wondering what next day will be like in light of that… and I thought sheesh, that’s so true… because, I’m rather impulsive and this means i lie awake all night wondering what the sun will reveal in the morning, if what I’ve said will have made it more cloudy, or if it will have cut a way through the cloud for the rays to penetrate… as usual, inspirational writing. :] xx
charlesmashburn said
How could you get right back to work when this gem of a poem was whispering your name? So glad I could inspire you–as if you need inspiration. I think you are bubbling over with inspiration and wonderful words to share!
Again, thank you! You are a delight!
Catie Eliza said
That is very kind you! Now I have more time (because no-one is supposed to be working at 2 minutes to midnight) to come back and explore further! :] Thanks for always being so friendly! :] That kind of thing is what keeps the world spinning I think (along with a well placed nudge from the creator dude) :] xx
charlesmashburn said
Friendly is easy. You be nice, I be nice. You don’t be nice, I be gone. Piece a cake. Creator dude keeps me spinning BIG time!
Danielle Mari said
Especially like the opening stanzas… that image/idea of the sun rising in the neighbor’s yard. It’s a common occurrence, but the way you put it here makes it fresh and new, both poignant and a little humorous, too. I think it takes real poetic chops to manage that.
I *almost* wish you’d managed to finish the poem without the word “love” in it, so I’d have been able to figure it out myself that this poem is a metaphor for love, without being told. But on the other hand, I am not altogether sure I’d have figured it out on my own. Hm.
At any rate, really delicious piece of writing here. Obviously made me stop my day’s activities and sit down with it, rolling about with it for quite some time. Love it!
charlesmashburn said
Awesome comments, Danielle. Although it was written many years ago, I remember approaching the end and putting in the part about love. You might be surprised to know that I hesitated, but went on with it as you see it today. It was how I felt that morning. I had no say over how much I was aloud to let loose or keep. My writing has always done me this way; it’s the boss. I’m jus the guy at the keyboard.
Thank you! I love it when a reader–a fellow writer, to boot–spends the time to contemplate and comment so thoroughly on something I’ve offered. Please stop by again!
Shawna said
“it can’t always be spring”
love the ending.
charlesmashburn said
Me too! Thanks for the visit and coment! Stop by again!
Jeanie McBain said
This is wonderful I loved the words in this poem
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the visit and nice comments, Jeanie!
Rekha said
Every one has already said what I wanted to say and then some more. Its difficult to cling on to a love that can barely be seen in shadow…still I may just heed your advice and look for the rainbow rather the sun if you don’t mind. Straight from your heart, these words, leaving a twin chime in your readers’.
charlesmashburn said
You did quite well for not having much to say, Rekha! I have no doubt you will find the rainbow. Like the sun, it’s there, we just may not be at the right angle to see it. Thank you for the visit and lovely comments.
Ankoku Hikaru said
Simply Amazing, Beautiful really. I don’t think I would have ever come up with something like that any time soon. Well done, I loved the comparison and the imagery, I could just see that rising sun, past all the scenery.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Ankoku! Those are wonderful comments and compliments!
I am so glad you visited and hope you will come by again!
Seabell said
The best I read from you. Great approach and so well written!
charlesmashburn said
Hey! Thanks! I appreciate the visit and comment!
Dishilicious said
well said. 😀
charlesmashburn said
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Rhyme Me a Smile said
Such wise words. Love doesn’t always feel the way we think it will.
charlesmashburn said
Wise? Well, I don’t know if I’d go so far as that, but I certainly do appreciate the compliment/comment!
But, no, love does not always feel the way we think it should or want it to.
Come back and visit again, when you have time!
tigerbrite said
I noticed the date on this poem. Written a long time ago. Yet it resonated with me and today’s funeral of a friend
charlesmashburn said
So sorry about your friend, but, yes, many of the poems I post were written from 1995-2005, when I was really into writing poetry. I still write poems, but only occasionally when something really comes at me and begs to be written. Most of my writing these days is either encouragements or blog stories about this and that.
Thank you for the visit and comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem.
Annette said
I especially like the second stanza where you describe the sun coming up – the different colors and intensity. You nailed it. (also thanks for your kind comment on my blog).
charlesmashburn said
You are quite welcome. I’m not an expert, but I do enjoy reading and know what I like.
Thank you for the visit and comment. Your remarks are very much appreciated!
M.A.S said
I like that this poem surprised me around the middle. I also love the last line .
charlesmashburn said
It can catch you off guard as it turns the corner there. And, yes, I, too, love that finishing line. The poem is one of my personal favorites.
Thanks so much for the visit, read, and comments!
bendedspoon said
‘You have to want it to be there’– thank you so much for the empowerment. I want it 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Yes! I love that line!
Thanks so much for visiting and commenting! Always good to hear from you!