I wrote a humorous piece yesterday, “It’s Over”, inspired by a prompt about puzzles. Another blogger posted one about the most puzzling puzzle of them all; love. Then, this morning, I came across another blog where the writer displays the picture below and asks for poems about it. So many things ran through my mind, as I contemplated sunsets, puzzles, and love, and I thought about a poem I wrote many years ago called “The Sun Came Up Again”; it’s one of my favorites. The following is another take on it; another piece of the puzzle.
The Sun Went Down Again
The sun went down again
Across the bay
Slipping behind scuttling clouds
Melting across the gray sky
Pulsing white
Then golden hazy yellow
Growing weaker each moment
As another day ended
Darkness fell ‘cross my arms
And as I wrote
The thought crossed my mind
That I’d said too little
Wondered too much
And allowed things to change
I felt empty with regret
Knowing I could have changed them
Had I but tried
Fear… had stilled my tongue
I’ve done this before
Keeping it all within
Afraid to be honest
Afraid to love
So many times
I’ve watched the sun go down
Regretting words unspoken
As another night obscured me
You would think I’d learn
I have learned
I’ve learned
That the sun will come up
And it will go down again each day
But even in its absence
We can feel it
Its warmth and brightness
Is still there… somewhere
Love is like that
At times you can bask in its warmth
Feel its arms wrapped around you
A flash of it lies across your heart
Then at other times
It falls behind dark hills
And our hearts—our world—grows cool
It’s still there
Just not as obvious
Not as bright
Not as warm
You have to know it’s there
Never doubt it
Never stop feeling it
Just knowing that somewhere
The other side of blue mountains
Behind the walls of unsaid words
It is there, but…
You have to want it to be there
You have to let it be there
Copyright © 2013 C Mashburn
Wrote this for the prompt at howanxious . Take a look at her blog if you have time, and join in on his weekend prompt.
howanxious said
beautiful poem.. love is something that needs to be felt. it is always there in some way or another, if only we find it. great job!
and thanks for participating..
and just a request.. would you please edit the word ‘her’ with ‘his’, as you are referring to me in the post. thanks.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, and sorry about the “her”! I came across the link to your prompt on mindlovemisery’s blog, and had her on my mind. My bad!
howanxious said
That is completely fine. 🙂
charlesmashburn said
ah’ight den
mindlovemisery said
Oh wow Charles this is stunning work! Very true, like you I sometimes keep things inside but I have also said plenty of things I shouldn’t have my filter is not working very well it seems, hopefully age will find me a little wiser. Love the sense of hope in this =)
charlesmashburn said
Actually, I don’t keep things inside much anymore. I tend to let ‘er rip, and see where the pieces fall. I figure as long as you deal in truth, you got nothing to be afraid of.
buildingalifeofhope said
So comforting. Thanks for a lovely way to write about love!
charlesmashburn said
Thank you!
Wordifull Melanie said
Lovely
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Melanie!