Line Gauthier Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

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Today I Learn To Be a Widow, Lesson 1

lesson one

i wake up alone
for the first time
the silence is deafening

i want to get up
but every fiber in me
is dead weight

i want to call my mother
and ask her how a widow
gets out of bed in the morning
but i won’t do that to her
i will figure it out

i remember how yesterday
i had to run an errand
and the cool breeze
was a reassuring sensation
against my cheek
it felt much like a caress

so i coax myself to get up
and step out onto my balcony
but my body wants nothing to do with it
and won’t move

finally somehow i am up
yearning for that morning caress
i bundle up
to face the november chill
and there it is
around the corner
a sunkiss meets me
my first of many rendezvous

see you tomorrow sweetheart

i love you
you’re beautiful



Published in my 24-page photo/anthology book ~TODAY I LEARN TO BE A WIDOW~ 2020

Read on air by invitation  ~  November 25, 2020  'LATE NIGHT WITH THE MIDNIGHT BOMBER'

AP: 2nd place 2026, 2nd place 2025, 2nd place 2025, 2nd place 2020, 3rd place 2026, 3rd place 2026, Honorable Mention 2026, Honorable Mention 2026, Honorable Mention 2026, Honorable Mention 2026, Honorable Mention 2025, Honorable Mention 2025, Front Page Pick 2021

Submitted on January 6, 2021 for contest BATTLE OF MOST ACCLAIMED 2020 POEMS sponsored by JOHN HAMILTON  -  RANKED 3RD

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John Hamilton January 8, 2021 at 11:57 AM Congrats Line on a nice win! Hope you're doing well!

Phyllis Babcock January 5, 2021 at 10:09 AM So sorry to hear of your loss and my belated condolences. love phyl Line Gauthier January 7, 2021 at 4:51 AM Thank you very much, Phyllis. Most appreciated ~

Alkas Poetry January 3, 2021 at 4:33 AM Dear poet, I did not know of your loss ... allow me even from a distance and so late to sympathize with you ... now time has passed but I believe that pleasant marks of a past of love remained. follow now in peace with new goals to fulfill .... greetings dear friend poet follow now in peace with new goals to fulfill .... greetings dear friend poet salute alkas Line Gauthier January 7, 2021 at 4:51 AM Thank you very much for your words of encouragement, Alkas ~

Paul Marc December 5, 2020 at 3:41 AM Never before has poetry moved me to tears. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Line Gauthier December 5, 2020 at 2:01 PM Thank you, PM, for your most appreciated visit and comment ~

Kim Rodrigues November 21, 2020 at 6:47 PM Sorry for your loss, dear one! Congratulations (POTD) on a heartfelt expression. Hug from me to you. Line Gauthier November 22, 2020 at 7:23 AM Thank you, Kim. Much appreciated, Line xx

Darlene De Beaulieu November 21, 2020 at 10:37 AM Hello Lin, I know i commented on this poem, now my comment is gone. So I will just say this -You can talk to me because I am a widow. Reach me on soup mail. i know we have done this already. I just wanted you to know you can talk to me. When you need to.Bye for now. Line Gauthier November 22, 2020 at 7:25 AM Thank you, Darlene. I am indeed just learning to be a widow ~ everything is very surreal right now. Line xx

Paula Goldsmith November 21, 2020 at 8:39 AM I am so very sorry for your loss. Your POTD was a "Beautiful" write. (Congratulations) My deepest sympathy with Blessings.................................. Line Gauthier November 22, 2020 at 7:26 AM Thank you o much, Paula. Most appreciated. Line xx

Tania Kitchin November 20, 2020 at 3:05 AM Line, sorry I missed this one. I am very sorry for your loss and hope you find comfort with all the happy memories. Condolences to you and your family. Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:15 PM Thank you so much, Tania. Most appreciated ~

Maria Williams November 20, 2020 at 1:50 AM I am so sorry for your loss Line, my deepest sympathy. My warmest wishes and prayers coming your way and congratulations on your POTD ....Maria Hugs Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:15 PM Thanks, Maria. Much appreciated ~

Jennifer Proxenos November 20, 2020 at 12:51 AM Congratulations my dear friends on Your sad but very emotional and beautiful POTD. Jennifer Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:15 PM Thank you, Jennifer ~

Jennifer Proxenos November 20, 2020 at 12:47 AM Line, I cried all the way through reading this poem, it is quite heart rending and I am so truly sorry to hears this very sad news, but of one thing you can be sure, God has given you your own private personal guardian angel - a sunkiss, the 'first rendezvous of many' My blessings and thoughts are with you. Jennifer. Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:16 PM Thanks, Jennifer. The warmth and support from my PS family is most touching ~

Connie Marcum Wong November 19, 2020 at 11:56 PM I am so sorry for your loss Line. I can relate and my heart goes out to you. I feel the same comfort from the early dawn. Your poem is very beautiful and deserving of POTD honors! I am putting it into my faves. Congratulations! Blessings xxoo Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:17 PM Thank you so much, Connie. Most appreciated ~ Line xx

Brandy Nicole November 19, 2020 at 9:28 PM "The cool breeze was a reassuring sensation, felt much like a caress" A very comforting thought. Even though he is not with you in reality, he is. Through the wind, moments of your day. This is beautiful and tender, all at the same time. Congratulations Line, on Poem of the Day. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs, Brandy Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:18 PM Thank you so much, Brandy. I appreciate this ~

Warren Doll November 19, 2020 at 8:05 PM Your poem makes him proud. Line, Congratulations on POTD~ Warren Line Gauthier November 20, 2020 at 8:17 PM Most appreciated, Warren ~

Rama Balasubramanian November 19, 2020 at 7:05 PM You are a strong women, inspirational! Proud of you. Take care, Regards Rama Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 7:51 PM What a lovely thing to say ~ thank you, Rama

Eve Roper November 19, 2020 at 4:04 PM love and hugs Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 4:48 PM Thank you so much, Eve ~

John Watt November 19, 2020 at 3:56 PM Line, to read what you have written here so soon after becoming a widow is mind blowing, and is a testament to the depth of your heart and to your talents as a poetess. That you are finding comfort in the caress of nature is so heartening. I hope that writing helps you with the processing and grieving. I know it is comforting to anyone who has loved and lost to read these words and know they are not alone. Congrats for your POTD, going in my faves so I can reread over and over. Hugs ~ John Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 4:53 PM Thank you so much, John. I'm still in a cloud of course ~ I expect it will continue to be surreal for a long time.

Regina Mcintosh November 19, 2020 at 2:15 PM Back to congratulate you on POTD with such a deserving write... So sad, but such a stunning work of art. God bless you dear friend Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 4:54 PM Thank you very much, Gina ~

L Milton Hankins November 19, 2020 at 12:27 PM Congratulations on your POTD! What an expressive piece of work, expressing your sorrow in small, beautiful things you can accept. Thank you. Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:06 PM Thank you very much, Milton.

Akkina Downing November 19, 2020 at 12:19 PM Line, I’m so sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences and prayers are with you. And congratulations on POTD... hugs Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:06 PM Thank you, Akkina. Much appreciated ~

Jenna Logan November 19, 2020 at 11:40 AM Line, forgive me for not responding to your loss sooner. I've been unable. You have my sympathy and my wish that you will heal in time. Losing someone we dearly love is a pain that no heart can ever completely mend. You are loved here. I read wonderful comments from fellow poets and have one more thing to write. If Julia Ward finds anything on this beautiful poem unworthy of being in her contest, you might consider her contest unworthy of entering. Please do not change one word. Hugs for you Julia Ward November 20, 2020 at 3:05 AM My contest is called "Our Bountiful God" and has set rules. After asking Line to remove the reference from underneath her poem as it was not related to the subject matter, she did that. Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:09 PM Thanks, Jenna. No worries, I did not write it for a contest obviously and I thought it might pass by a little stretch of the imagination. That's ok, the support of my PS family means the world to me ~

Mark Koplin November 19, 2020 at 11:35 AM I am so sorry for your loss Line! Congratulations on POTD with this heartfelt poem!! Mark Koplin November 20, 2020 at 3:58 AM My point is that you should have sent her your opinion in a soup mail and not on her POTD. That would have been the right way to do it. If you did not mean any disrespect towards her then tell her that and not me. Julia Ward November 20, 2020 at 3:01 AM I was not rude whatsoever, but sympathized. My contest is not about grief, though, and I asked her not to make reference to the contest underneath her poem. She has now removed the reference. Mark Koplin November 19, 2020 at 2:29 PM I’m so sorry that Julia was so rude to you here. It is quite disappointing to see someone without any empathy. Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:10 PM Thank you so much, Mark ~

Sam Kauffman November 19, 2020 at 9:24 AM Line, congratulations on your POTD. "A sunkiss meets me," "my first of many rendezvous" are beautiful lines that summarize and complete your poem. Please know you remain in my thoughts and in my prayers. Sending you many blessings sealed with a hug. Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:14 PM Thank you so much, Sam. Most appreciated ~

Heidi Sands November 19, 2020 at 9:18 AM Congratulations for POTD :) Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:14 PM Thanks, Heidi ~

Silent One November 19, 2020 at 8:32 AM Dropping back with congrats on this beautiful heartfelt poem.. Line Gauthier November 19, 2020 at 1:15 PM Thank you so much, SO. Most appreciated ~

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