We gathered in the hum of light–
faces, voices, familiar forms–
and I, among them, half-remembered
the shape my soul once wore.
We went to seek small comforts:
sugar, water, something sweet to hold.
But the path divided–
a gate closed softly behind me,
and the world dimmed to its quiet pulse.
Alone in the hush,
I pressed against the darkened glass,
watched the crowd move on,
as though the heart could wander
and still pretend to follow.
Below me stretched a bridge–
rope and wood trembling
over nothing I could name.
It shimmered like a question
I was not yet ready to answer.
Later, in daylight,
I found the other half of myself–
the one who waits in silence–
and together we walked
toward the edge of knowing.
An old priest called my name,
his voice, an echo of caution,
but the wind carried it away.
Before us, fog–
a pale, unbroken veil.
A strip of yellow tape
marking where the self must cease.
Beyond it–silence,
and the long hum of becoming.
Beside that border ran a river,
dark as unspoken memory.
On its banks, the still ones
gazed into their own reflections.
A child rose and warned,
the air here bites.
So I lifted a mist of mercy,
and veiled myself
in its scent.
Some crossings are forbidden–
not by law,
but by tenderness–
the soul guarding itself
from the weight
of what it is not yet ready to see.
And yes, a toll is due–
paid in quiet sighs,
in soft mercies,
and in the coin of your own patience.
This reads as those thoughts whilst falling asleep, the tone somewhere between whisper and silence. We all pay the toll man in the end, but self awareness is the biggest coin in the purse. Delicate and beautiful write.
Thank you, Ghosteen. I couldn’t have said it better– those drifting thoughts before sleep often reveal the quiet truths we overlook. And yes, the toll man always waits, but it’s the coin of awareness that weighs the most. I truly appreciate your beautiful insight.
Beautifully word smithed thoughts. I especially liked
“A child rose and warned,
the air here bites.
So I lifted a mist of mercy,
and veiled myself
in its scent.”
Well done 🌼
Thank you, Joe. I’m glad that part resonated– it lingers close to the heart of the poem. You know the saying, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side? In this dream, it wasn’t grass but a river, and the still ones gazed upon it, seeing only their reflections, dreaming of what could be. But sometimes the air bites there–and perhaps the mystery is best left untouched.
Your insight and depth of vision here is deep and filled with contemplative beauty. Loved this so much I read it twice. I wanted, needed, to absorb this in my soul as I read. This is truly a work of poetic art that speaks deeply of dreams that await and those that are signs of what fate holds ahead. Truly a remarkable poem.
John
Thank you, John. Your words feel like a gentle echo of the poem itself –absorbing, reflective, and full of quiet wonder. I’m so glad it spoke to you, and that the journey of dreams and glimpses of fate came through. Knowing it reached you in this way makes the act of writing feel that much more alive.
Brilliantly penned, Roma. Wow, simply amazing write my friend. Superb storytelling nicely illustrated by tight imagery. Excellent work. Appreciate you.
Damian
Thank you, Damian. Your words mean a great deal. I hoped the imagery would echo that hazy, in-between space where dreams and reflection meet. I’m so glad the story and atmosphere carried through.
This is one of the best things posted on this site. I’m sure you hear often enough that you are a really good writer, but understand that it is a fact. I’ve been on so many sites over the years and have developed a particular eye for what is truly good writing consistently. You do so.
Skill is second to having the inner eye for seeing writes play out in a visionary style. This does. There are thousands of wonderful poems out there. But they don’t pull the reader in deeply, immersed. But this one is why readers get hooked.
Outstanding write, Romaj.
Thank you so much, Styxian! I’m really honored this piece resonated with you. It came from a mix of dream imagery and reflection, so it’s wonderful to hear the vision pulled you in. Your kind words mean a lot and inspire me to keep exploring my writing.
Roma. Just wow, I wanted this to keep going!
It’s also very alluring to me.
It pulls you in and guides you through the entire read.
Spectacular write:)
Thank you so much, Adelphina! I’m thrilled it pulled you in. This poem actually sprang from a dream I had, so it carries that surreal, in-between reality feeling.
I almost wish the dream had more to reveal, but I think the heart of it is about waiting–the right time to cross that bridge.
Sometimes even when the path seems just ahead, the moment isn’t yet ripe. I’m so glad it resonated with you.