This is a good Halloween poem. Life is cruel and die alone is the worst.

Awww. This is writing that comes from everywhere. From watching loved ones go through suffering or ourselves.
Writing is a great escape but sometimes it sticks. There is no escaping but in that moment of writing we are controlling the pen. We are the master of how it’s written. This is powerfully bittersweet.

And I gotta give a shout out to that pic!

Powerfully penned, Nick. Amazing write my friend. Appreciate you.

Damian

The world can get pretty dark. though I would like to think it’s not about the end but about the now.

Thanks for the read friend.

How do you cope…. bloody amazing write and you aren’t unmazing ( is that even a word) yourself.
You take care now.
💋

We celebrate the birth of Jesus by over indulgence….where did it all go wrong.
This is a terrific write Paula ⭐

Thanks.

Thanks.

This is inspiring. Like the phoenix you will rise from the ashes. More resilient experience and wise. Love that stanza

How does that quote go? “To thy own self be true”? From Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, I believe. As I was reading your poem Sappho, I thought, who else could we be, but ourselves. We may conform to social norm, but this would still be our choice to do so, still ourself, no one else. I think it is sometimes very hard to buck the system, to do the right thing. Someone or something may guide your thinking and or actions, but it is still you, yourself who decides to do this. In reading your poem, I arrived at Hamlet and thought, who else could I be but myself. And then I thought, even rising from the ashes has consequences and responsibilities. I think perhaps another question might be, are we willing to own up to those responsibilities and consequences?

I enjoyed reading your poem Sappho, it gave me a lot to consider. And it also made me appreciate who I am and want to be. Thank you for sharing.

Curt

Too few essay such thoughts, thank you for echoing truths we are forgetting 🌼

Being human is a poisoned chalice from which we all drink.It can give so much but demands a fee.
Your poem goes do a deeper problem about how mindlessly we wander through our precious days.
Well done Elke 🙏

Fun Fact: I burned my feet pretty bad in a fire when I was a kid. It sucked. LOL. It was just one of several shitty things I endured. Yet it did indeed make me a stronger person as I grew up. We choose our outlook. And that outlook finds the path.
Your write is an awesome testament to that. It could be printed and carried in one’s pocket before undertaking a particular task. This is a great example as to why we write. It builds our character, too.
Very inspiring write.

When the high waves of life try to drown you, you have only two options- to give up or to mobilize all your resources and swim! In the process of learning to swim and standing up for myself, I learned many great lessons about gratitude, forgiveness, and the importance of helping and loving one another.
Thank you so much for sharing a glimpse of your personal experience, and of course for your kind comment, dear Her!

Very motivating. The world will kick your butt if you let it. Great ink.

A truly magical and inspiring piece of poetry Elke. You have a gift when you write poetry. Nice work.

You are a fabulous writer Elke.
It’s always nice to fall into the cooling water.💚

It does take courage to go against the norm.
You don’t know what you’re made of until it turns messy.
But that feeling of getting burned is its own form of motivation.
To rise in spite of having the wind nocked out of you.
Righteous write!

Powerfully penned, Elke. Excellent write my friend very inspirational indeed. Appreciate you.

Damian