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A gentle tickle belies the sadness as the corner of my eye swells and my vision blurs. The beauty and the joy fading from my mind, the "what was" and "what could be" but longing memories and lost dreams, like fading shadows, of a wasted life, and all that is left is the loneliness. Lying alone lost in somber reverie, the welling in my eye inches ever closer to flooding past the impenetrable fortress created by my, now, tightly shut lids, the specters of my past slowly filling my unseeing eyes with visions of all of the special moments and the caring caresses that we once shared. My lashes quiver and moisten as I breathe in deeply. The words of love we breathlessly whispered now only wisps of meaningless expiration hidden among icy, broken emotional shards, a million pieces of sharp frozen feelings piercing so deeply inside of me, freezing what remains of you in the deep crevices of my broken heart. The tingle sharpens as the dam breaks, one forlorn drop escaping slowly down my cheek, meandering, lost, in the creases of my aged face. I reach up to wipe it away, but can't for everything I am, everything that is me, everything that we were and could ever be, I've set adrift inside of that tiny, tickling, forsaken tear.
06/19/2017

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017




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Date: 1/20/2021 6:45:00 PM
A most poignant and endearing poem, James. Congrats on having this beautiful poem published in the 2020 PS Anthology.
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Date: 6/12/2020 2:41:00 AM
There is so much emotion of regret and loss, doubt, loneliness, and fear distilled into the tear you describe. Poignantly beautiful ~ John
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James Inman
Date: 6/12/2020 9:41:00 AM
Thank you for the kind visit John. This was a very emotional write for me.
Date: 6/5/2020 3:54:00 PM
LOVE this, Ralph. One tear and you say SO Much with it. FAVE
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James Inman
Date: 6/5/2020 4:43:00 PM
Thank you Andrea, please do not think that I expect you to read all of the poems I put in that list. That would be ridiculous.
Date: 4/21/2020 9:25:00 AM
A deep and beautifully penned poem, James.
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James Inman
Date: 4/21/2020 12:40:00 PM
I don't believe the ten poems I chose are necessarily my best ten, in fact, for different reasons I enjoy reading others more than some of these. All of the ones here are significant to me. I would like to offer a well deserved thank you to you for your ambitious endeavor and for all of your great comments.
Date: 11/2/2017 4:21:00 PM
The last stanza especially was heartrending, James. I like the descriptive travel of the tear, such a well done piece that seems so raw and personal. How that tear represented that feeling of loss for what once was, and thus being lost as a result..This is one of my favorites of what I've read of yours so far. Always, Laura
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James Inman
Date: 11/3/2017 7:42:00 AM
Often when I write an idea will form in my mind and the poem will be based on that idea. In this poem It was centered on the word expiration and it's meanings. I wrote the line I used it in half way through the first stanza but did not use it until the third. All of it's meanings set the tone for the poem. The "exhalation of breath" being literal, the "termination" of a relationship being implied and "death" hidden in the meaning of the poem. Thank you for all of your visits Laura.
Date: 9/6/2017 6:47:00 PM
I read this one again today and with my latest news, this sums up my feelings exactly, glad I faved this beauty, I will continue to read and reread this one!
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James Inman
Date: 9/6/2017 11:51:00 PM
Best wishes.
Date: 9/3/2017 1:57:00 PM
James the way you wrote this was masterful. Such great detail of emotion metaphorically and precise, touching and heartfelt. You definitely raise the bar in writing. Your descriptions are on a much higher level that most of us writers would love to achieve. Congratulations my friend on this surreal piece.
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James Inman
Date: 9/4/2017 8:50:00 AM
Thank you for the very kind comment Michael.
Date: 7/20/2017 9:49:00 AM
Catie was looking for paragon poetry and I agree that this hits the mark! Very nicely done James! - Dean
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James Inman
Date: 7/20/2017 3:11:00 PM
Thanks Dean for your wonderful words.
Date: 7/20/2017 4:26:00 AM
Beautiful in its sadness, James:) congratulations on your win:)
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James Inman
Date: 7/20/2017 6:40:00 AM
Thank you Jo.
Date: 7/20/2017 12:18:00 AM
What a heart-wrenching poem you have masterfully penned, James. I hope its fictional. Congrats on your win.
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James Inman
Date: 7/20/2017 6:41:00 AM
Thanks Afzal.
Date: 7/3/2017 8:42:00 PM
This brings tears to my eyes. You have a way of describing this, James, that is just incredible. I'm in awe. This one kind of breaks my heart though.
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James Inman
Date: 7/4/2017 1:36:00 AM
Thank you Becca, it's nice to think my words can move someone.
Date: 6/27/2017 12:51:00 PM
I call it.... Universe within Universe...
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James Inman
Date: 6/27/2017 2:54:00 PM
Interesting way to look at it Pashang, thank you.
Date: 6/20/2017 9:33:00 PM
Forsaken tear sounds like a good title. Wow James...just wow. This is absolutely the best lost love poem I have read in a long long time. Mark my words this is going down as one of your all time epic writes. A super fave...speechless!
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James Inman
Date: 6/20/2017 10:28:00 PM
Nice idea for a title John, thanks for the input. I think I'm going to leave it as is though. Thanks also for the wonderful comment, but you are much too kind.
Date: 6/19/2017 12:25:00 PM
Such deeply intensive sad imagery of lost love - sure brought a lump to my throat James. is it for a contest as its the second 'untitled' poem I've seen today? hugs jan xx
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James Inman
Date: 6/19/2017 2:29:00 PM
Thank you Jan, no, not for a contest. I was playing with an idea and when I finished, it seemed to me that it would lessen the impact if I defined the write with extraneous words just to have a title.

Book: Shattered Sighs