Semblance

by D.   Jan 12, 2021


I remove my washable
face-mask and guiltily gulp
a lungful of fresh air.

My grandfather, had he
not been taken by an unrelenting
virus would’ve called those
who stormed the capitol
building ‘oxygen thieves’.

The words cruelly
and unfortunately have
lost their meaning
recently;

not because I feel I have
not experienced true cruelty,
nor true misfortune

but akin to every other
jumbled word in this poem;

they just...
exist,

listlessly dangling at the
tips of my fingers

like the strap of a disposable
face-mask.

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Latest Comments

  • 3 years ago

    by Poet on the Piano

    This is gut-wrenching and such a personal piece. That last image and the comparison with the words that have lost meaning is beyond powerful. That feeling of helplessness is heavy in this piece, especially in realizing how some have taken for granted the very thing others are needing most.

    • 3 years ago

      by D.

      Thank you, MA. :)

  • 3 years ago

    by Em

    This is extremely powerful. Well done on the win x

    • 3 years ago

      by D.

      Thanks for your kind words, both :)

  • 3 years ago

    by Mr. Darcy

    Nice to see a personal poem win. Congratulations.

  • 3 years ago

    by Sunshine

    You had me from the opening lines. Daniel, this is touching.

    • 3 years ago

      by D.

      Thank you both :) this one was personal

  • 3 years ago

    by Xaque

    The writer brought me to a place of mourning and deeper meaning with beautiful symbolism and wise words. I found this very impactful, especially the turn in mood in the stanza "The words cruelly/ and unfortunately have/ lost their meaning/ recently;" which made me look deeper into the next lines. I liked "listlessly dangling at the/ tips of my fingers" and thought the final image was vivid.

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