restraint – poem
I cannot approach the emotion in this poem by the obscure poet ( no longer a valid link ) – but often verse inspires other verse.
blank expression guarded eyes
tense moments where silence echoes clearly
do not believe your pain unknown
stilled arms prisoners of disdain
imagine I taste your angst
yet gentle word, bracing touch
access that deepest buried place
of unborn feelings I dare not go
bwfiction 
there is a deep aching pain in this piece…and you capture the fear to truly embrace and accept that pain.
Bill, your piece really spoke to me – and I felt what it is like to reach that deep buried place.
“imagine I taste your angst”–whoa..so deep with feeling!
So true there are some human places we never
go and some that others come from we
can never visit.. sometimes
the only answer is
to be there.. as is..:)
A sensitive reaction to the pain and anguish of another–and to the human desire to provide relief, even if only through a word or touch.
thanks VB
heavy write, Bill… the strong detachment from emotion holds emotion within itself.
thanks Desmond
You took me to that place (where I’ve been countless times in my life working death and dying) where words just can’t do anything. Just presence.
presence is so powerful in what is speaks
your poem is subtlety itself…there’s empathy yet no intruding….beautifully written…
thanks
Gripping write–I often find it too uncomfortable to be near people in their pain, and that makes me feel very ashamed.
Perhaps the poetry that inspired you was too personal and now sadly she no longer feels she can share it with others. I know what you mean about understanding and wanting to comfort, that instant of being poised between empathy, compassion and … sheer relief that we don’t need to go there ourselves?
Trying to go to that place of pain of another person at times almost seems cliché and yet, we try. And being inspired by another’s verse is not only compliment but also, a way of going there to that place, of trying to understand.
I think this would have been in my cancer days… I was more sensitive then, I think
Being present when others experience pain is far from easy. It is so easy to fall into clichés.
yes, it is isn’t it. I think cliche is always a danger too in our poems – to be unoriginal.
So much emotion…as well as lack of emotion….here.
The original poem must have been really intense.
Yes, and this time would have been when I had cancer so perhaps it was related.
This is very well written. You completely capture feelings and experiences I’m quite familiar with.
Mia – you’re never alone. Thanks for sharing.
I tried to visit your source of inspiration too.
The second stanza is particularly painful. How oft we want to enter that dark place of others pain – but dare not go…
Anna :o]
thanks Anna –
Hard to go there, indeed; but your poem shines both as verse & emotion. We are here to hug, hold, & help each other, or we be outliers & outsiders, desperately flawed & alone; good job
yes – as Donne said – no man is an island
Oh I wish I could have been able to read the poem that inspired you.. but that site is deleted.. It seems to be a burdensome place to visit…
I don’t recall it now, but I think her poetry was very personal. Some times poetry inspires other poetry – I find that one of my favorite things.
x thank you
thank you — sometimes it is hard to go where another is emotionally.