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Photos With Glitches On Invisible Wings

You're a camera obscura, a broken bell's rings,
You made me dance slowly on sad phantom strings.
You always had the slightly off-color touch,
Your insensitive skin never softened up much.

Our meals were quiet with subtle trespass,
Off like a mispronounced requiem mass.
I corrupted your files, threw you askew,
You knew my pictures weren't entirely true.

We never could see in each other's mirrors,
Our focus was broken, our lenses were tears
That clouded our vision, that shrouded the past,
Our statements were false, or if pure couldn't last.

I voided your interest, the chasm was steep,
You fell into boredom, I put you to sleep.
You woke up translucent, you dissolved in the air,
Did I ever see you, were you ever there?


December 17, 2016
For Daniel Turner's contest - 'What was I thinking'

Copyright © Doug Vinson | Year Posted 2016

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Lynn Marie Date: 3/10/2017 6:55:00 PM A very real, very sad yet very true piece.. wonderfully crafted. Brings to mind the saying "we wouldn't know true happiness if not for the depth of sorrow to measure it by". It bites to go through what you have painstakingly composed..one hopes the suffering will be learnt so as not to be repeated, and each agonizing step leads one step closer to Bliss! :-) ..yet..through pain, sure comes beautiful writing..go figure..lol Cool title too! Exceptional writing, a fave, 7+++. blessings, :-) lynn Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 3/11/2017 8:14:00 PM Thank you, Lynn. Daniel's contest brought out some really good and inventive poems - good fun all around. I agree with you - from pain often comes good writing.

Russell Grushco Date: 12/27/2016 6:56:00 PM Nice. Like the rhyme n flow )) Well, as with many women, including pietic Muse, many times it's vague, shaky, sad, teary n weary. Nicely exptessed :) Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/28/2016 1:33:00 PM Hey Russell. : ) I think it fully goes both ways between men and women - that being the most common deal. Maybe it's people talking past each other, or all the way up to, "Wait a minute - who *are* you?!"

Afzal Nusker Date: 12/20/2016 11:08:00 AM This poem is extraordinary, Doug. Talks about pain in a very relatable way. Congrats! A 7 & a fav. Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/21/2016 1:09:00 PM I appreciate that, Afzal. : ) I guess it only makes sense that the pain is possible - without that possibility, would love, joy, etc. be the same?

Sandra Haight Date: 12/20/2016 10:06:00 AM Wonderful rhyme and flow in this poem, Doug, which presents such a sad but true fact of life in many relationships. You have captured this so well using that line from Daniel's poem. Congratulations on your fine placement on this short winner's list! Sandra Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/21/2016 1:02:00 PM Cheers, Sandra. : ) Communication is a great subject in itself.

Robert Lindley Date: 12/20/2016 9:24:00 AM Very fine piece my friend, congratulations on your win.. I loved every verse and this was a true pleasure to read this fine morn Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours my friend... Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/21/2016 1:04:00 PM Hey Robert. : ) Man, that makes me feel good - thank you! So here we are as Winter begins.

Tamal Kundu Date: 12/20/2016 6:42:00 AM You have a penchant for storytelling. A sad, and yet thoroughly enjoyable poem. Congrats, Doug! Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/21/2016 1:01:00 PM THANK YOU Tamal! : ) I laugh - I want to be a storyteller, want to be a storyteller, wanna be a storyteller, wanna be wanna be, really do. I want to go down the road and have the words stick to my tires, stick to the soles of my shoes, scar the skin on my feet, spray up between my toes and smile at me.

Leileah Kasperyan Date: 12/20/2016 4:22:00 AM Oh man, a sad one. Think we've all been here atleast once in our lives. Congratulations though! Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/21/2016 12:41:00 PM Cheers, Leileah. : ) Yes, it can be a hard thing, one that can't always be "fixed."

Joseph May Date: 12/19/2016 8:46:00 PM A well crafted write...Very well written...Congrats on your win Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 10:34:00 PM Hi Joseph, I appreciate that. : ) Cheers, Doug.

Winged Warrior Date: 12/19/2016 8:28:00 PM Congrats!!! my friend Doug...a worthy win...god bless...^WW^ Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 10:34:00 PM Cheers, WW! Keep on fighting the good fight.

Eve Roper Date: 12/19/2016 8:25:00 PM Very good, Doug, congratulations on your win... :) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Hugs Eve Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 10:33:00 PM Hey Eve. : ) Thanks, and the same to you! Winter on Wednesday and the Holidays are upon us.

Connie Marcum Wong Date: 12/19/2016 6:24:00 PM Excellent writing Doug...this is another favorite I would have placed higher! Congratulations on your well deserved win! 7 ; ) Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 7:33:00 PM Wow, Connie, high praise indeed; thank you! Daniel gave us so many good lines to choose from - each one with a wide-ranging expanse for thought.

Daniel Turner Date: 12/19/2016 6:15:00 PM Congratulations Doug on your placement in my contest. Really liked this one a lot, especially the ending. Loved the rhyming and had a good flow to it. Thank you for your participation:) Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 7:29:00 PM Thank you, Daniel. This was such a good contest - great idea on your part for the topic. I hope nothing untoward happened that would bring on the "this is my last contest" sentiment. : )

Chris Green Date: 12/19/2016 3:02:00 PM Things are not always as they seem even if we do our best to explain, another may not quite understand. I loved the smooth flow and abstract feel of this poem. Though those two terms don't normally go together, they do here. This one really appealed to me. Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 7:23:00 PM Cheers, Chris. : ) So many times people do seem to "miss" each other by somehow not being on the same wavelength, so to speak, talk past each other, etc.

Barry Stebbings Date: 12/19/2016 1:52:00 PM Excellent expression of the oblique contact we mistake for communication. Love the phraseology. +7 +Fav. // Barry. Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/19/2016 2:01:00 PM Hey Barry, thanks a lot. The chasms between us all....

Deborah Burch Date: 12/18/2016 11:19:00 AM Super job. Doug!! Big Hugggs. Deb Login to Reply Deborah Burch Date: 12/22/2016 3:16:00 AM *tear* Congrats on your very well deserved win Doug!!! Big Hugggs!!! :) Doug Vinson Date: 12/18/2016 5:33:00 PM Deb. : ) I think that somewhere out there, there must be an angelic ending for you. Either that or you're an angel already.

John Hamilton Date: 12/18/2016 9:09:00 AM Very well written, sometimes people are just not n sync This has a wonderful lyrical flow, I think exactly what Daniel is looking for. Should do well in contest, I'm calling a winner right now! You heard it here first!A7 Login to Reply Doug Vinson Date: 12/18/2016 9:45:00 AM Ha! Thank you, John. We will see. ; ) Everybody's an individual, and even for a particular person, one day they might pick one poem, the following day the next...

Darren White Date: 12/18/2016 5:00:00 AM We never could see in each other's mirrors,// Our focus was broken, our lenses were tears// That clouded our vision, that shrouded the past,// Our statements were false, or if pure couldn't last...//.. This is a sad but wonderfully written dance of two people who are 'outdated'. I love it Doug. Good luck in the contest. Login to Reply Darren White Date: 12/20/2016 4:56:00 AM Coming back with congratulations, Doug, I think it's a well deserved placement :) Doug Vinson Date: 12/18/2016 9:44:00 AM Thanks, Darren. I think there are almost always communication problems between people. It's a matter of degree, certainly, and sometimes you see those relationships that appear totally compatible, where they finish each other's sentences, etc. Can work very well, sometimes for their whole lives, but sound a bit boring to me. My gut feeling is that there should be a need to talk.