carsten-tice-1 - Hello Poetry

I see you surrounded by wet blue. Your head bobs up and down and you gasp for breath. Ghosts in your eyes and flooding trains coming from your lungs. I'm standing on the shoreline, wading in, ankles deep. But I know I can't save you so that's as far as I'll go. I'm looking around for help -- There are others on the sand but they're even weaker than I am. This won't do. I briefly consider walking away so I don't have to watch. But I have a feeling this might not really be happening. So I guess I'll stay until we find out.

0

May 2, 2018

May 2, 2018 at 8:28 AM UTC

carsten-tice-1

Spheres

I see you surrounded by wet blue. Your head bobs up and down and you gasp for breath. Ghosts in your eyes and flooding trains coming from your lungs. I'm standing on the shoreline, wading in, ankles deep. But I know I can't save you so that's as far as I'll go. I'm looking around for help -- There are others on the sand but they're even weaker than I am. This won't do. I briefly consider walking away so I don't have to watch. But I have a feeling this might not really be happening. So I guess I'll stay until we find out.

15

I think you're everywhere. When I see babies, grandmothers, squirrels, trees, peaches, puddles. In handwriting that is a perfect mix of script and print. You're there. When the credits roll. When I'm driving alone. When a rooster crows. When I miss my flight. I see you in the eyes of every person I meet. You're not dead - (At least I don't think so.) But I've gotten used to you in the past tense. I think of how it always seemed like you knew a secret that the rest of the world doesn't know. The mystery that enshrouded you then has been multiplied now by your retreat. Thousands of miles and thousands of days conspired to create a chasm that I often attempt to traverse while I'm asleep. Am I angry? Not really. I pretend to be because it is easier than being sad. You knew me better than anyone ever has and losing you is simply something I haven't mastered yet. I understand you had to leave. Even in your silence, I trust your goodness. But I still can't shake the sadness of the world (or me) maybe not ever knowing that secret thing that you know. You're still the voice in my head and it is one of my sincerest hopes to burn love letters with you again in this life or the next.

0

Feb 2, 2015

Feb 2, 2015 at 4:03 AM UTC

carsten-tice-1

I think you're everywhere.

I think you're everywhere. When I see babies, grandmothers, squirrels, trees, peaches, puddles. In handwriting that is a perfect mix of script and print. You're there. When the credits roll. When I'm driving alone. When a rooster crows. When I miss my flight. I see you in the eyes of every person I meet. You're not dead - (At least I don't think so.) But I've gotten used to you in the past tense. I think of how it always seemed like you knew a secret that the rest of the world doesn't know. The mystery that enshrouded you then has been multiplied now by your retreat. Thousands of miles and thousands of days conspired to create a chasm that I often attempt to traverse while I'm asleep. Am I angry? Not really. I pretend to be because it is easier than being sad. You knew me better than anyone ever has and losing you is simply something I haven't mastered yet. I understand you had to leave. Even in your silence, I trust your goodness. But I still can't shake the sadness of the world (or me) maybe not ever knowing that secret thing that you know. You're still the voice in my head and it is one of my sincerest hopes to burn love letters with you again in this life or the next.

35

Someone should invent mechanisms for opening and closing the best parts of ourselves so we don't have any destructive contraptions interfering anymore. We could also really use subtle reminders to make eye contact with ourselves in mirrors and dance to the sound of our own heartbeats at times when we can't hear the music.

0

Mar 24, 2014

Mar 24, 2014 at 11:24 PM UTC

carsten-tice-1

At Times

Someone should invent mechanisms for opening and closing the best parts of ourselves so we don't have any destructive contraptions interfering anymore. We could also really use subtle reminders to make eye contact with ourselves in mirrors and dance to the sound of our own heartbeats at times when we can't hear the music.

10