Notes About The Poem

Published: 15th February 2022

Image: Elijah Pilchard from Umsplash

This poem was placed 1st in the "YOUR CHOICE 2022" contest sponsored by Brian Strand (Judged 21st January 2023)

Recital by Line Gauthier 


Listen to poem:

The Silent Waves

on that bitter, wet, dark winter’s day
the storm that hit seemed slow to pass
it turned the whites of waves to grey
then threw life's teardrops at the glass.

and from that cafe’s window seat
she watched the mist blot out the sands
and sensed the cold but felt the heat 
with coffee clasped between both hands.

although the waves at staggered times
broke wilder than she'd known before
seen through the window’s drizzled lines
- stayed silent as they reached the shore.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022

Poem

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12
Kauffman Avatar
May 12, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Gary, congratulations on your win with this pensive and melancholy poem like walking the beach in a storm! It is so wonderfully written with amazing images that seem to speak in metaphoric elegance. I love the metaphor of the "staggered" waves that illustrate waves of grief. I am so hoping we get more of you wonderful writing! Cheers and blessings my friend. Love standing on the podium with you!
Radice Avatar
May 12, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Thanks Sam. I don't have a favourite poem of my own but if I did I think this one would be up there or thereabouts. I love a beach in the rain. It just conjures up an atmosphere all of its own. I really like your interpretation of the word ‘staggered’ as it fits in so well here. I actually had in mind the waves being staggered in their movement; crashing at different times along the shore but Sam, great call. What other poets read and see in others’ work is something I absolutely love with poetry. Life's got in the way a little recently but I'm going to read the other poems in Rob's contest over the next few days. Yours, of course included and I look forward to doing so. Cheers - Gary
Carmack Avatar
May 9, 2026 at 6:13 AM
A different time at the beach with this one, and of course I loved it. Congrats and thank you for your entry.
Radice Avatar
May 11, 2026 at 11:11 AM
Thanks Rob! Much appreciated. Cheers - Gary
Ashley Avatar
May 16, 2024 at 8:24 AM
Dear Gary, the melancholy created through the rhythm, rhymes and imagery of your poem is beautiful.. "then threw life's teardrops at the glass." - wow! There is beauty in sadness and Line's soulful reading of your fantastic piece optimizes this feeling. Lots to think about and linger over with this one. Congratulations for your win in Brian's contest. Warmest wishes my poet friend.. ~Susan
Radice Avatar
May 17, 2024 at 10:26 AM
Susan, lovely to read your very valued comments. Thank you. You described Line's reading as soulful and Susan, you are so right. I feel she adds another dimension to my poem. :) Cheers - Gary
Junaid Avatar
May 15, 2024 at 4:14 AM
settled in my bones like whistling wind on a particularly windy day. congratulations <33 well deserved. Much Blessings - Hiba.
Radice Avatar
May 15, 2024 at 2:44 PM
Thanks so much Hiba. I'm glad you felt the words. Cheers - Gary
Mcintosh Avatar
August 27, 2023 at 5:33 AM
Wow. Impressive. Love it. Congrats and God bless you, Love, Gina
Radice Avatar
August 28, 2023 at 1:52 AM
Thank you Regina. Cheers - Gary
Volumes Avatar
August 26, 2023 at 8:08 PM
An amazing beautifully read piece. Glad you didn't choose the digital voice Gary. This was superb, as was your poem.
Radice Avatar
August 27, 2023 at 12:42 AM
Many thanks SV.for your lovely comments. Nothing beats a natural human voice in my opinion and Line's voice just captures the scene beautifully. I'm very grateful to her. Thanks again. Cheers - Gary
Anderson Avatar
August 26, 2023 at 10:56 AM
Congratulations for your placement in the "Let There Be Voice" contest. I really enjoyed reading AND hearing your wonderful poem voiced! Cheers and Best Wishes.
Radice Avatar
August 27, 2023 at 12:44 AM
Thank you for running the contest John. Cheers - Gary
Blodgett Avatar
July 16, 2023 at 5:57 PM
Love this! It is so contemplative and subtly melancholic. So well written! Lonna
Radice Avatar
July 18, 2023 at 2:07 AM
Thank you Lonna. I think 'subtly melancholic' describes what I was after for the poem beautifully. Cheers - Gary
Andresen Avatar
November 13, 2022 at 11:03 AM
- A wonderful poem, Gary ... fascinating to look at the sea and waves on a rainy day - I live by the sea and see it every day - Congratulations on your win in the contest -
Radice Avatar
November 14, 2022 at 2:10 AM
Thank you Anne-Lise! I agree, the sea is fascinating. The waves tend to hypnotise me with their sound and movement. We live about 10 miles from the sea but I wished we lived nearer. I'd be down on the beach walking every day - rain or shine if we did. Thanks again! Cheers - Gary
Roper Avatar
November 12, 2022 at 11:25 PM
Congratulation on your win with this great imagery and warm feelings.
Radice Avatar
November 13, 2022 at 5:50 AM
Thank you Eve. Mission accomplished. :) Imagery and a sense of warmth watching the storm was what I was after. Just as a side, I love the rain. I'm one of those guys who love to watch it and walk in it. Rather than drowning them, the rain helps my poetic juices flow. Cheers - Gary
Alex Avatar
November 12, 2022 at 7:59 PM
You have illustrated beautiful scenes of the monsoon. Congratulations!
Radice Avatar
November 13, 2022 at 5:47 AM
Thank you Christuraj. Just the word 'monsoon' adds a sense of strength and depth to the idea of a storm. Love it! Cheers - Gary
Gauthier Avatar
September 22, 2022 at 9:23 PM
What a beautiful poem. Not only is is a FAVE but it was a definite honour to record, Gary.
Radice Avatar
September 22, 2022 at 11:44 PM
It's one of my favourite poems Line - and even moreso now. :) Thanks so much. Cheers - Gary
Dietrich Avatar
September 4, 2022 at 2:59 PM
So very deep and meaningful this is. makes me wonder about who "she" is. Thanks for leading me to this one, Gary.
Radice Avatar
September 5, 2022 at 9:02 AM
Thanks Andrea. Glad you like the poem. :) Cheers - Gary
Cohen Avatar
March 21, 2022 at 3:31 PM
This one is like a painting in a museum, with just enough to fuel the imagination while leaving you in admiration of the craftmanship. Good stuff, Gary.
Radice Avatar
March 22, 2022 at 12:41 AM
Thanks Eric. I appreciate your visit and comments as always. As well as being high praise I love the idea of a poem being described as a painting as you have here. Thanks again. Cheers - Gary
Kendrick Avatar
March 11, 2022 at 4:54 AM
I like the flow, rhythm, and rhyme within these lines. I can feel the emotion of the work as well. I am glad that I chose it to read today. Your visit to my page made my morning a little lighter. Sara
Radice Avatar
March 11, 2022 at 8:10 AM
Hi Sara. I'm glad you chose to read it today too - It lightened my day :) Thank you for your lovely comments. Cheers - Gary
Brewer Avatar
February 24, 2022 at 7:15 PM
The air of undefined mystery embedded in these verses adds to the dark imagery of this wonderfully atmospheric poem - as you have discussed in comments below. I love it!
Radice Avatar
February 25, 2022 at 1:36 AM
Hi Geoffrey. Thank you for your valued comments. Other than trains, railways and such like, I love writing about the sea. Cheers - Gary
Norton Avatar
February 24, 2022 at 9:07 AM
Well done! Wonderful imagery. Reads like a classic. Your rhyming is perfect too. Later, Bryan
Radice Avatar
February 24, 2022 at 2:15 PM
Thank you for the wonderful praise Bryan. Read you soon. Cheers - Gary
Peck Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 2:24 PM
This beautiful poem would make a beautiful painting--I can see it in my mind. :)
Radice Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 2:29 PM
Hi Ann, if ever you paint, draw, sketch it I'd love to see it. Thank you Ann. Great praise from an artist. Cheers - Gary
Watt Avatar
February 20, 2022 at 8:59 PM
Gary, there's a delicious amount of mystery within your lines as you introduce a cup of coffee, a lone woman, a severe winter storm, and a commendably strong window. The imagination goes wild with an evocative piece like this, very challenging to find that balance between not enough and too much information. Love your carefully crafted cadence and the "life's teardrops" line in particular. Excellent.
Watt Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 12:59 PM
Gary, you don't sound pretentious at all. You sound like a thoughtful writer who contemplates his options. Thank you for your insightful reply. Keep writing, my friend. p.s. for some reason, I don't see the image.
Radice Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 2:20 AM
Hi John. Thank you for your very kind words. I deliberately didn't give too much information out about the woman in the poem because - as you have alluded to in your insightful comments - I wanted to leave it up to the reader's imagination to determine, for example, her back story etc. For fear now of me sounding too pretentious, at one point while writing, I attempted to incorporate the idea of pathetic fallacy and then explore the idea of the storm existing inside the woman's mind and hence the silent waves etc. The poem hints at some of this but in the end I was happy just settling for a descriptive piece about a woman in contemplation against the backdrop of a storm. :) I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks again. Cheers - Gary
Callus Avatar
February 20, 2022 at 1:59 PM
Very good imagery and rhyme, and with a smooth flow to it, Gary. a fav for me ~ Regards // paul
Radice Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 2:07 AM
Paul, thank you so much for your compliments and for the fav. I really appreciate it. I concentrated on the imagery in this poem so was very pleased to read your comments. Cheers - Gary
Staton Avatar
February 20, 2022 at 6:13 AM
You paint a very vivid picture dear friend. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this great poem. Take care!
Radice Avatar
February 21, 2022 at 2:00 AM
Hello Valerie. Thank you for your very kind comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the poem. Cheers - Gary
Kavanagh  Avatar
February 17, 2022 at 1:14 PM
A mull of kintyre sentiment and lyric seems to emanate from this wonderful rhyme Gary, you have captured the storm outside the cosy window vividly yet serenely, very difficult to accomplish, super writing, cheers David
Radice Avatar
February 18, 2022 at 12:05 AM
Thanks David..I hear you: "the mist rolling in from the sea" :) Thanks too for the great praise. Cheers - Gary
Wolf Avatar
February 16, 2022 at 8:35 PM
Wow. Your poem has a truly personal feel, Gary. Felt as if I was right there in the restaurant, clutching the coffee cup myself. Kudos, Gershon
Radice Avatar
February 17, 2022 at 12:52 AM
Mission accomplished. :) Thanks for your great comments Gershon. Cheers - Gary
Carber Avatar
February 16, 2022 at 2:40 PM
Any poem that writes of the power of the sea is a hit with me! [internal rhyme]--Congrats Gary
Radice Avatar
February 17, 2022 at 1:55 AM
Thanks L J! One big wave from me to you...too! :) Cheers - Gary
Goldsmith Avatar
February 16, 2022 at 7:48 AM
Your 'The Silent Waves" speaks volumes. A wonderful write. Have a great/blessed day writing away.............
Spectator Avatar
February 17, 2022 at 2:14 AM
Paula Wordsmith suits better.
Radice Avatar
February 16, 2022 at 8:58 AM
I love what you did there Paula with your turn of phrase. Thank you for your visit and your comments. Cheers - Gary
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