Call if Lonely

[Rita Shibr]

call if lonely

you said

for a moment  I was taken aback

if  being the word

as if 

awaking at dawn with the winter darkness

pressing down and sitting deeply

on my still shoulders

 

or there where brown trees meet the skyline

the wind from winding roads

blowing cold beneath my hair

 

and just then

at that moment the full moon

eclipses the constellations

standing barefoot and blanket wrapped

on frost laden grass

 

when dimming the lights

and  dropping the locks

a reflection from the window

catches shadowed filled eyes

 

when and all

at and then

there and hereafter

always, not if. 

 

 

 

photo by Rita hotel room Cape May NJ 
reposted from 10/27/2010

Chet Baker and Bill Evans two incredible talents together

[Harp]

Perfect.   The photo is inspired, the poetry is the real story and the music is just perfect.    Wow.  

[Veronica Corso]

This rolls like film---I love the imagery.

[koshersalaami]

It took me a couple of readings because I'm not used to this.

You used music unusually well in this post. I also really like the photo. Cape May is such an interesting choice, because you get the age of rooms that are almost all over a century old, which really helps set the mood of the shot, the spareness with the age, with the knowledge that outside is anything but spare. (I hope you ate at the Mad Batter. It's been years since I have.)

Great combination of three media.

[greenheron]

"if" is a big word.

I am seldom lonely, although I am often alone.

[Emily Conyngham]

Rita, you made my feet freeze here, and I am playing the music as I type this comment and my heart is slowing to an almost halt. And then I go back to

when and all

at and then

there and hereafter

always, not if. 

And I am quite certain I have died. Super super poem.

the ending : 

[Hyblaean~ Julie]

always, not if. 

:) love you woman

[Phyllis]

always, not if, but only if I stop to acknowledge it. You capture it well.

[Jeanne Sathre]

This is lovely, Rita. Although I have a feeling I might have felt comforted by that hotel room. It's the Motel 6 type ones that make me feel lonely.

[Jenny]

Sad, lonely and oh so lovely. We say "if" when we mean "always" hoping it makes us feel better. 

[Rita Shibr]

Thanks Harp, I enjoy fooling around with mood and ambience. Glad it worked for you!

Hey V, it seemed a good combo to me, I admire your sense of style and structure, thank you for the kind words.

Hi Kosh I like to see folks who normally don't enjoy poetry or whatever it is prose maybe come by and take a gander. Glad you enjoyed it.  As a music lover it always influences me, whatever I have on in the backround or wherever I am all combines to create or keep the mood going. Thanks.

So true Heron.  It's a big word and alone does not always mean lonely. In fact I was not lonely in the hotel in Cape May although I was alone. I thought the photo conveyed loneliness though after I downloaded it.  Thanks for coming by Heron my friend.

Hello Em, big praise coming from you, thank you! I am bringing things over and going to eventually take down my OS site entirely some are getting deleted I liked the feel of this one if not some of the more stilted phrases, appreciate your appreciation. 

HI Jules, thanks I really needed that today, haven't had a chance to really talk to you lately. Hope all is well. 

Thats so Phyllis, I find that too. Many times I am fine traveling alone or spending days and nights alone and then it will hit that I am tired of it, that I am lonely suddenly. Thank you for reading!

Glad to see you Jeanne and you are so right as I said to Heron, I never feel lonely in Cape May, I feel I am where I should be for some reason. The old homes the vibe in the music scene there it just gives me sustenance rather than fueling any sense of missing anything. I never stay in motels like Motel six.  I would hate it. Even when traveling for business I try to find an old world style hotel or b&b. Thank you.

Jenny at the time it was written, it was a sad and lonely night one of a few days where I felt supremely alone as opposed to enjoying the freedom of being alone although I am married. I believe it was said to make me feel better, "if" you are lonely, call... it did have a soothing effect at the time. Thanks Jenny for reading the poems, I appreciate your support.