Gregory Richard Barden | + Follow Poet |
Free verse | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print |

Notes About The Poem

Princess

I …

unlock the front door
walk across the sill and
into the house
like countless times before
look around quickly
no sight of you
“Pretty Girl!” I yell
in that silly, high, cartoon voice that
folks rolled their eyes at
but you always loved
(cuz you knew it was just for you)
again, I start to call
“Pretty Girl! Where ARE you, Pret.. … ?”
and it sticks in my throat
where now
its sound will always be, forsaken
halfway to my heart
where the rest of you remains
with Dad
Sister Sugar
and our dearest Mama
all the glaring ghosts
that have turned this home
into just another house
and my world
into a realm …

of shadows.







* this is a form I created called “Bookend Free Verse - I hope you enjoyed it *

Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, August 25, 2023

( pastel painting by my sister Terrilynn Dubreuil )

Please Login to post a comment

Tom Woody Date: 9/15/2023 10:37:00 AM Quite emotional Greg. My brother has a cat and yes, the obligatory high pitched voice when he calls for it, though her nickname is goose head (real name Lizzy). If we live long enough we will inevitably experience loss, or be someone else's. Hope you're okay these days. You seem to be posting mostly in isolation. Try to interact more Login to Reply Gregory Richard Barden Date: 10/20/2023 10:34:00 PM Thanks for this, Tom - I’ll be back here eventually to be involved more again, but in a flood of responsibilities at the moment … I miss you good folks. Blessings! :o)