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I Wandered Lonely As a Teardrop

9-21-22
Contest: I Wandered Lonely as a…Challenge
Sponsor: Natasha Scragg

11-4-22
Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 19
Sponsor: Mark Toney

"I wandered lonely as cloud."  Daffodil by William Wordsworth
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I Wandered Lonely as a Teardrop 

I wandered lonely as a teardrop
In a sea of sand,
A tempest in one glistening drop,
Ruthless riptides of demands
Rush through a narrow neck of outlet
Turned upside down in midnight vignettes.

Cold specks of numb and ancient stone
Deaf to remorse of a single sigh
Tumble past my burn scar so alone
That weeps with solitude's clouded eye
No time to stop for struggling strangers
To get involved - a diffident danger.

A writhing sea of rushing crowds
Parts around my stifled sob
Roaring indifference shouted out loud
Guarded pain in my teardrop throbs
The shape of quivering unheard laments
Empathy drown and mercy absent.

My colorless grief weeps without end
In oceans like a shipwrecked nomad
Blocked from the warm fount of a friend
Heartbroken by a lost comrade
One teardrop cries to understand
The maddened surge in a sea of sand.

Copyright © Sam Kauffman | Year Posted 2022

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Gary Radice Date: 9/25/2022 2:06:00 PM Wonderful Sam. Almost abstract. Bear with me: I envisaged an egg / sand timer in the first stanza and journeyed on from there through the 'narrow neck of outlet' and beyond. There is true pain conveyed along the way and so much emotion enclosed inside the teardrop that you describe. My thoughts and impressions anyway. :) Cheers - Gary Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/19/2022 9:59:00 AM Greetings Gary! You picked up on the image of the hourglass in the first stanza perfectly! That is exactly what I had in mind. Sometimes, in isolating pain and grief, we are carried along in the rush of life like sands through an hourglass! The theme of this contest was a great opportunity to explore the isolation we feel in pain or grief as we are carried along in life's perpetual river of time - unnoticed and unheard. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and impressions. A heartfelt thank you coming your way. Cheers!

Beata Agustin Date: 9/25/2022 12:10:00 AM Congrats! Thanks for sharing your talent, along your emotions through this muse... so intense, concluded by "One lone teardrop cries to understand The maddened surge in a sea of sand." God bless you. Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/19/2022 9:47:00 AM Dearest Beata, heartfelt gratitude coming your way for your note of congratulations and your compliments. This contest theme brought out so many poems with intense emotions it is indeed an honor to be on the winners list with them. Once the original image came to mind everything else just seemed to fall into place. Definitely a gift from our loving God. We are so blessed we never have to "wander lonely" for God is always at our side. Blessings to you my friend.

Ann Peck Date: 9/24/2022 3:26:00 PM Ah, Sam---Another beauty. I especially love "a tempest in one glistening drop," and "that weeps in solitude's clouded eye." Congratulations on your win! Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/19/2022 9:41:00 AM Hi Ann! Can you tell how far behind I am in answering messages! Please forgive me. I so appreciate your note of congratulations and your message that encourages me and is a source of continued inspiration. My heartfelt gratitude! Thank you. Sending you all the blessings of this amazing season! Last year, at this time, I remember both of us were dealing with restorations and new floors! Seems like a thousand years ago!

JCB Brul Date: 9/24/2022 7:25:00 AM This is so magical, Sam. Congratulations on your awesome win! Loved the “ colorless grief”. More power. Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/19/2022 9:36:00 AM Hi JCB! Thank you so much for your note of congratulations and your lovely compliments. The theme of this contest was a wonderful opportunity to think on the ways grief and sadness isolate us as we sometimes wander through our world. Hope you are well. Sending you blessings of the season!

Terry Miller Date: 9/24/2022 5:48:00 AM Wow, Sam! powerful stuff, congratulations Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/18/2022 10:37:00 AM Hi Terry! Thank you many times over! Grief and pain are powerful emotions that often leave us feeling as small, and insignificant, as a teardrop. It is an honor to be on the winners list with so many wonderful poems. All the best to you. Blessings

Natasha L Scragg Date: 9/24/2022 3:37:00 AM What moving piece of writing Sam! I never expected a teardrop to come up as a subject and teardrops are small but contain huge stories. Often involving pain. This is vivid to see in your entry. Thank you for sharing this with us in the contest and big congrats on your win :-D Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/18/2022 10:34:00 AM Dear Natasha! Please forgive my delay in answering your note of congratulations - your inspiring message. Can you tell how far behind I am in answering messages? Many thanks and much gratitude to you for your placement and for sponsoring this contest that brought out so much creativity and ingenuity. It was a wonderful theme and indeed an honor to be on the winners list with so many poetic gems. Thank you for the opportunity to write on the grief of isolation and pain. Sending you many blessings along with my gratitude.

Janice Canerdy Date: 9/22/2022 7:11:00 PM Sam, you have conveyed a powerful message through the use of vivid metaphors and personification. Janice Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/18/2022 10:27:00 AM Janice, thank you so much for your wonderful, inspiring, feedback. I couldn't get rid of the picture of a teardrop drowning in a sea of unfeeling sand. That mental image really spurred the imagery and personalization of the teardrop. So grateful for your visit. Blessings!

Valsa George Date: 9/22/2022 6:57:00 PM I can just exclaim 'Wow'. The poems I have read in this series are all amazing, one superceding the other. But this poem is far ahead in many ways- the intensity of emotion, perfection of execution, lyrical brilliance and musical rhyming. 'Deaf to remorse of a single sigh/ Tumble past my burn scar so alone/ That weeps in solitude's clouded eye'/ .....the rising billows of emotion in these lines make me feel stunned... and leave me speechless. All the Best Sam Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/18/2022 10:16:00 AM A heartfelt thank you dear Valsa for your incredibly beautiful message. I am deeply grateful to you. Grief can be such an experience of isolation even though we have people who grieve with us. I was hoping to capture that sense of isolation and deep sadness. Thank you for affirming my efforts! Sending you blessings dear friend!

Sara Kendrick Date: 9/22/2022 3:08:00 PM Reads like a good contender to me for the contest. Way to go. I feel this is grief for friend who was in the armed services with you. I can imagine that losing a friend in those circumstances would be very difficult. Your visit with congrats is appreciated. Sara Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 10/18/2022 9:45:00 AM Hi Sara! Can you tell how far behind I am in answering email! Thank you so much for your feedback that both motivates me and inspires me. I loved this theme and the opportunity to explore the journey of a teardrop. Blessings to you!

Sotto Poet Date: 9/22/2022 11:06:00 AM Wow, Sam, it is just stunning. You were able to conjure up a vivid image using the diction that you employed. I wish you success in the contest. Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 9/22/2022 11:26:00 AM Lasaad, thank you so much for your words that deeply touched my heart. I am so very grateful for your visit and your note!!! I spent many moments reflecting on this theme. Your message affirms these efforts. I am so grateful. Thank you for your thoughtful note and your thoughtful feedback! Sending you blessings of the season my friend!

Michelle Faulkner Date: 9/21/2022 8:32:00 PM Wow, Sam, this is magnificent, Wordsworth himself would be proud! I love 'ruthless riptides of demands' and 'diffident danger' - also the despair of a tear in a sea of sand - this has so many levels, hope its a winner for you! Login to Reply Sam Kauffman Date: 9/22/2022 9:59:00 AM Hi Michelle, I am deeply touched by your inspiring words and your reference to Wordsworth whose poetry I so enjoy! Thank you so much. This poem came slowly - almost line by line with needed time for reflection before writing the next line. I spent many moments wondering what the theme meant and delving into its depths. I am so glad that you liked this one. That means a whole lot to me coming from a poet of immense talent and skill like you. So grateful! Hope you are well. It felt like fall in the NW this past weekend and week as we have had several days of continued rain. Yeah! Take care my friend! Blessings of the seasons to you!