It

.

f

e

l

l

.

as

.

a

.

whisper . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ a

.

whisper

.

l

e

f

t

.

unheard . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

.

do

.

n

o

t

.

know

–

–

which

.

w

a

s

.

worse . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

the

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

the

blur . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

the

blister . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

o

r

–

–

–

the

burn . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

I

.

yearned

.

f

o

r

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

yearned . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

yearned . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

.

yearned . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

now,

.

i

t

.

seems

–

–

such

.

a

.

curse . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ it

seems

–

–

such

.

a

.

curse . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

now,

.

I

.

know

.

y

o

u

.

were

.

t

h

e

.

first . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ yes,

now

.

.

I

.

know . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

that

.

y

o

u

.

were

.

t

h

e

.

first . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

I

.

could

.

n

o

t

.

form

.

t

h

e

.

words . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ no,

.

I

.

could

.

n

o

t

.

form

.

t

h

e

.

words . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

because

.

I

.

h

a

d

.

not

learned . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

could

.

n

o

t

.

discern

.

t

h

e

.

true

magic,

–

–

measure,

–

–

meaning,

.

a

n

d

.

worth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

until

.

t

h

e

.

pages

–

–

passed

.

a

n

d

.

purged . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ until

.

t

h

e

.

pages

–

–

passed

.

a

n

d

.

purged . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ until

.

t

h

e

.

pages

–

–

passed

.

a

n

d

.

purged . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

the

years

–

–

just

burned

.

a

n

d

.

blurred . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

years

–

–

just

burned

.

a

n

d

.

blurred . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

along

.

w

i

t

h

.

that

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ along

.

w

i

t

h

.

that

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

that

whisper

.

l

e

f

t

.

unheard.

Reflection: This was a popular romantic-themed poem that I wrote back in April of 2020 as a reflection on missed romantic opportunities. I had so many of those earlier in my life and they would taunt and haunt me. I would always beat myself up about them – telling myself that I should have said something, or that I should have done something but didn’t. It took a while for me to overcome my shyness in that respect.

I played the song “I’m Not in Love” by 10cc repeatedly at low volume in the background to create the “moodset” for the poem. If you listen to the song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.