Into the black water
Sanaa -
May 31, 2018
Earlier PoemsPoetry

Into the black water I buried the past
as ripples linger and die away on the
surface.

It’s invisible this feeling of relief and
pain, in the reflection of the water, I
learn how nothing remains constant
except change.

The sound of a nightjar singing is all
I hear, apart from moon that hourly
whispers and veils my tears.

I, sometimes wonder whether water,
has power to carry away unattained
desires and whims?

In the silhouette of emboldened trees
I held hands with understanding, as
morning awoke to greet a starry sky,
into the black water I buried the past.

 

Photo credits: Pinterest

Posted for ‘Sanaa’s Challenge’ @ Real Toads

& Posted on “Open Link Night” @ dVerse Pub

56 Responses

  1. Brendan says:
    May 31, 2018 at 6:14 pm

    The vibe here reminds me of Swinburne, whose ear was ocean and heart a boat. How vastly full the nightjar.

    Reply
  2. Old Egg says:
    May 31, 2018 at 8:10 pm

    How easilly the reader can imagine the scene as the past disappointments are finally buried and the narrator can start their life again anew.as the water swallows their sadness.

    Reply
  3. Kim M. Russell says:
    May 31, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    I love this stanza:
    ‘It’s invisible this feeling of relief and
    pain, in the reflection of the water, I
    learn how nothing remains constant
    except change’!

    Reply
  4. gillena says:
    May 31, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    “I, sometimes wonder whether water,
    has power to carry away unattained
    desires and whims?”

    There is always so much still for us to understand

    much love…

    Reply
  5. Sherry Blue Sky says:
    June 1, 2018 at 1:44 am

    Beautifully done, Sanaa. I can see that black water, swallowing the past.

    Reply
  6. Priscilla King says:
    June 1, 2018 at 2:16 am

    Thank you, Brendan, for unpacking the metaphor in the bird’s name…I think it “jarred” with its call, but as a poetic image, yes, full.

    Reply
  7. Bjorn Rudberg says:
    June 1, 2018 at 3:07 am

    Impressive how you use the black water and the image of the night as a way to tell (or rather not tell) of sorrows in the past-

    Reply
  8. Raivenne says:
    June 1, 2018 at 4:36 am

    “I, sometimes wonder whether water,
    has power to carry away unattained
    desires and whims?”

    I’ve asked this in the cleansing power of tears; your black the assemblage these over time. The imagery is poignant, beautiful.

    Reply
  9. Frank J. Tassone says:
    June 1, 2018 at 5:05 am

    Brilliant and searing in its subtlety, Sanaa!

    Reply
  10. Merril Smith says:
    June 1, 2018 at 6:06 am

    Beautiful imagery–the water burying, reflecting, carrying away. ..

    Reply
  11. Linda Lee Lyberg says:
    June 1, 2018 at 6:26 am

    I love the imagery here. Well done.

    Reply
  12. Grace says:
    June 1, 2018 at 7:14 am

    I look forward to the sense of hope and moving forward, and burying that unhappy past ~

    Reply
  13. Anna :o] says:
    June 1, 2018 at 7:38 am

    We need the black water to bury our past, quench our thirst in the veil of tears.
    Well done Sanaa.
    Anna :o]

    Reply
  14. kaykuala says:
    June 1, 2018 at 8:39 am

    I held hands with understanding, as
    morning awoke to greet a starry sky,
    into the black water I buried the past.

    One way to do it is just forget the past and to move on.

    Hank

    Reply
  15. Jo says:
    June 1, 2018 at 9:09 am

    Wonderful writing!

    Reply
  16. Dwight says:
    June 1, 2018 at 9:20 am

    I love the line where you held hands with understanding as the new day dawned and buried the past! Very Good!
    dwight

    Reply
  17. Vivian Zems says:
    June 1, 2018 at 10:58 am

    Water has many uses…including burying the past in it. Loved your write!

    Reply
  18. kanzensakura says:
    June 1, 2018 at 11:41 am

    I love the burying the past, the sorrows, into the past. A truly lovely write.

    Reply
  19. Cara O' Donoghue says:
    June 1, 2018 at 7:33 pm

    There is such a palpable sense of woe in the third stanza. Brilliant use of metaphor! 💙

    Reply
  20. Annell Livingston says:
    June 1, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    There is no way to escape pain, or loss, it is life after all. xoxoxo

    Reply
  21. Frank says:
    June 1, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    Nice line: “morning awoke to greet a starry sky”

    Reply
  22. Kerry says:
    June 1, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    Your opening line captures the mood of the piece so well. I love this view of memories and black water.

    Reply
  23. Mother Wintermoon says:
    June 2, 2018 at 12:17 am

    Spectacular and deeply meaningful from first verse to last! The last verse “holding hands with understanding” and burying the past, wraps it all up and brings it home. Powerful message!

    Reply
  24. Jim says:
    June 2, 2018 at 5:00 am

    Wouldn’t it be wonderful, Sanaa, if we really could be rid of those old memories, that bad ones? But yes, we can sometimes put them on the back burner of our minds. Try to leave then, don’t bring them to the forefront. This was a nice, light and wishful read for me.
    ..

    Reply
  25. Charley (Life in Portofino) says:
    June 2, 2018 at 7:30 am

    This reads like part of a rediscovered epic — a tale of honor and daring do.

    Reply
  26. grapeling says:
    June 3, 2018 at 8:51 am

    in the US, there was a private mercenary firm called Blackwater, later Xie, whose founder’s sister is now the secretary of education.

    they buried many people, all hush hush – an odd irony, given the tone of this moody pen ~

    Reply
  27. Bryan Ens says:
    June 4, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    Love the idea of holding hands with understanding. A wonderful feeling to be able to let go of past regrets!

    Reply
  28. Margaret says:
    June 6, 2018 at 10:37 am

    Had to google nightjar – what a cool sound! “nothing remains constant except change” … so true!

    Reply

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