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 Oct 2015 NOLWAZI JOUBERT
Josh
A candle went out
A little flame on the tabletop dancing in the reflection in the wine glasses
hot and molten and fragrant, nights spent behind lightly-coloured veiled curtains
Mysterious, dancing, floating shadows through the curtain are glimpsed.
Tales of mystery, magic, agelessness hints in the small flame.
Scandals in the dark.
Wax seals on yellow letters
remembered by the candle;
the only light there to see on those nights
In stone castles and in hot bedrooms,
On steel blades of kings to their steely gaze,
to nervous eyes and shining lips
All reflected the burning candle's wick
Whose warmth and flickering glow were taken for granted until
a candle went out.
You know I've walked on the wrong side of hell
Felt the stinging bite of shot and shell
Seen the bodies and smelt the blood
Of those so young

Ultimately my choice in life
Cost me my first love who was my life
She couldn't live with what might be a last goodbye
Worrying constantly about the knock on the door

I left the army thinking things might change
And so covert security became the game
In her eyes the risk remained the same
In fact the risk was higher

Combined with nightmares in the darkest hours
When I would scream and yell
And the whiskey bottle always by my side
Was more than she could bare

And so we parted

I was mentally a shattered wreck
Although I always kept my job
The bottle my constant companion
The dreams, nightmares hidden

But one day I started to write
I don't know why, it just happened
And I discovered that I could share my darkest thoughts
With others who would and could understand

Poetry gave me the release from myself
Because talking to you was somehow impersonal
You were just names on a page back then
But now you are a family
Thank you for I have regained sanity
Through you
For many years I guess I hid from myself, the whiskey is still a good friend but no longer controls my life simply because I discovered that people do listen
~

lost a good friend
the other day.
the kindest friend,
my confidant,
the sweetest one i knew.
harsh the way he went
que sera, surreal,
and such a tragic accident!
walking on his way alone,
he caught his hand in hers;
his feet somehow
with hers locked step,
down he up and tripped,
and as he fell,
his hand outstretched
her golden ring
on finger slipped!
his feet now frozen fast,
his heart was stolen,
held within her clasp.
love, such a tragic thing...
burned by desire,
those flames grew higher,
'til all of him consumed.
x marks the spot
that he was struck,
blind-sided by her heart;
when flames die down
(if ere they do),
t'will be none left
of what he was,
none of his self
to be exhumed.
love, is a burnin' thing,
some say that love
is a fiery ring.
love captures hearts,
it blinds the lost,
love binds the heart,
to its life of cost,
requires giving things,
like diamond rings,
a giving up
of all that's mine,
for a life of sharing dreams,
the boundlessness of hope,
no waking up alone,
no walking on one’s own;
instead two feet
bound up with rope,
those single days are gone;
being buried long and deep.
goodbye to yours and mine
now living life together
high above its weathered stone.
and hanging from the gallows near.
a written sign with this,
“gone and married,
hearts on fire;
headed for
eternal bliss!”

~

*post script.

no hearts were broken
in the writing of this poem,
no feelings hurt,
and most importantly, no
friends lost... only gained!

when a friend posted a photo of
a sidewalk sign outside a café,
it prompted… no inspired, this write.
thank you, Raylene!

the sign read-
“i lost a good friend & drinkiin’ buddy
this past weekend in a tragic accident...
he got his finger caught in a wedding ring.”

LOL!

credit to Johnny Cash for lyrics
borrowed from his 1963 hit,
"Ring of Fire"
Vital signs inviting death
Take my last breath
I want to be free
Take this life from me
Thoughts of you in my head
Just leave me for dead
Watching this time accrue
I'm sorry, I love you
You are my unsaid words.
I am your unfinished thoughts.

Striving together in synthesis,
To form the poetry of life.
If today was the last day of life as we know it,
I would still be choosing to write to you.

Whatever grace, shift, light, is coming,
I would still be choosing to write to you.

In the off chance that these words will touch you,
I would still be choosing to write to you.

If tomorrow is unrecognizable or completely new,
I would still be choosing to write to you.

Knowing that I may never meet you, or even hear your voice,
I would still be choosing to write to each and every one of you.

When the sky does open someday,
and there is only light,
I will know I took this time,
opened my heart up wide,
*I will know I was still choosing
to write my heart to you.
Many have hinted that an energy shift is occurring today. I am choosing to reach out with my heart wide open to the Light.
©Elisa Maria Argiro
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