Monday, April 4, 2011

The lingering incarnation


The night you died
I woke briefly
(In my basement you had never seen)
And stared at a round golden light in my room
Vaguely realizing the tv was off and the candles were out
I gazed sleepily at the orb, drifting off
Only to remember this vision in the morning
When I got the phone call
***
I am sitting at my desk in the basement, feet propped up
Surfing the internet on my computer
I am suddenly overwhelmed and surrounded by your scent
(A perfume I have never owned or worn)
Startled, I leap to my feet and ask my husband,
“Do you smell that?”
He does.
The sweet scent lingers several minutes, dissipating.
***
Walking across the library parking lot on
a calm day
(a library I don’t think you ever visited)
Your perfume swirls around me again.
I turn in circles for several minutes, sniffing, looking,
Reaching out with every sense I have
Missing you.
***
I wake from an intense dream
Of talking to you
I open my eyes to the dark room
(a room you never saw)
and sit up quickly
And sense you there, your mouth closing on the last word
I see nothing, yet you take a step back
And slowly fade away.
Amazed, I rub my sheets between my fingers, wondering.


(Today's NaNo prompt: Try writing a poem that responds to or riffs off of one of someone else’s NaPoWriMo poems. I was inspired by this poem.)
(Posted for Poetry Potluck theme: "Void, Loneliness, & Sorrow" 6-20-11)

4 comments:

  1. Interesting piece. I love how you involved several senses...

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  2. Once again your words stir powerful emotions in me. Brilliant, simply brilliant!

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  3. This was very compelling to me especially since I have dreams like this frequently. Fabulous job you've done here engaging the senses, creating such a feeling of ambiance that I could imagine myself within the poem

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