Your Mystery

johnjgeddes (75) in poetry • 7 years ago (edited)

I’ve taken nothing
From the past
But a few photographs,
A couple of old streets
I revisit,
And some powdery ghosts
That arise
From books
I’ve discarded
Upon my shelves.

Occasionally
I pick up a tome
And peer within
At yellowed pages,
Notes from lectures
And scribbled
Phone numbers
And addresses...
Some not my own.

But yesterday
I found
A paperback
You owned
When we were
First married.
(I taught uptown
And you worked
Downtown)
and never thought
how my literary friends
might intimidate you
or how you felt…

I picked up
A cheap paperback—
30 Days to a Better Vocabulary,
and I remember
the shame I felt
that we made you insecure
and it still stung
when I opened the pages
now brittle with age.

But I couldn’t throw it out—
It was part of you and me
And a reminder
Of your mystery
And my despair
When folded among
The pages
I found a stray strand
Of your red hair.

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7 years ago by johnjgeddes (75)

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tinajordan (56) · 7 years ago

Straight to the heart. This made me a bit sad, but to me it also spoke of growth and understanding. Beautiful.

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1 vote

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thank you, Tina

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1 vote

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sleakgeeamor (25) · 7 years ago

Job well done. You drew me in and kept me to the end. I felt sadden for the wife who was misunderstood or underappreciated. Again, job well done John.

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1 vote

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thank you, @sleakgeeamor

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cecicastor (60) · 7 years ago

Nostalgic piece of romance and loss. Beautifully written John.

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1 vote

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thanks, Ceci

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firepower (79) · 7 years ago

The pages I found a stray strand Of your red hair.
Wow! The ending!! Loved it. That was a beautifully written poem, thanks for sharing. :)

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2 votes

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thanks, @firepower

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soorefunmi (54) · 7 years ago

For a minute there I was sad and to think that the past actually really haunts especially when you find out what you did wrong. Good job @johnjgeddes.

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1 vote

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago (edited)

thank you, @soorefunmi

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elshadr (62) · 7 years ago

Very romantic, poetry, let nostalgia about the past

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1 vote

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thanks

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creatr (70) · 7 years ago

John, you are a polymath of poetry.

You really got me with this one, not only with the content, but also its contrast with the radically different style of "From The Paint Box."

I enjoy your virtuosity.

😄😇😄

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

thanks, @creatr - I appreciate your feedback :)

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1 vote

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booster (68) · 7 years ago

This post has received a 16.27 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @johnjgeddes.

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rana420 (55) · 7 years ago

Great post

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anel13 (27) · 7 years ago

interesante post me encanta

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johnjgeddes (75) · 7 years ago

gracias, @anel13

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screenname (66) · 7 years ago

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