Footsteps

Posted: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 by Travis Cody in
19

In the restless quiet of twilight
When cold silence eerily lingers
Keeping day entwined with night
Her footsteps echo, dire and familiar

A determined border of feral mist
Invests the precious moments before dawn
No yield in the dismal barrier that exists
Between time borrowed and love withdrawn

Uneasy and full of dread, I pause to wait
An ebon stillness envelopes my soul
This luckless sorrow, ill-used by fate,
Smothering the words I must always control

Clicking like the angry pincers of a fat spider
The disjointed cadence, unforgiving, reproachful
A syncopated rhythm, stepping always closer
Its demands reverberate in the hollows of my will

Harsh now, and near, this unsparing moment
Loud now, the steps, a border crossed
Dread now, the sound of that approaching torment
Turn now, to face love’s promise forever lost

There is no magic left to save me from myself,
To ease the bitter panic of this inevitability
Only footsteps in my mind, mocking my life
Gone again now, yet ever after haunting me


This has been an original poem by Travis Cody, copyright 2010.

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous says:
    10 February, 2010 06:05
    This comment has been removed by the author.
  1. Anonymous says:
    10 February, 2010 06:05

    Oh, how I love your poetry, Trav. It's been a while. The clicking spidey pincers gave me the heebie jeebies though!

  1. Anonymous says:
    10 February, 2010 06:38

    I like your poetry... so descriptive!

  1. Akelamalu says:
    10 February, 2010 07:05

    Gosh Trav, you are so talented!

  1. Charles Gramlich says:
    10 February, 2010 08:00

    Dude, this is really good. Powerful and evocative.

  1. Vinny "Bond" Marini says:
    10 February, 2010 08:15

    And you mentioned spiders?!?!?

    Wonderfully paced Travis...you, once again, painted a picture with your words..BRAVO

  1. Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. says:
    10 February, 2010 11:35

    such talent!
    <><

  1. Maggie Moo says:
    10 February, 2010 12:26

    Too late for me to say all the things I was going to because everyone else said it. Bravo!

  1. Marsha says:
    10 February, 2010 12:41

    Awesome!

  1. Linda says:
    10 February, 2010 14:20

    This is a wonderfully haunting poem, Travis, and it definitely echos the sorrow of a love lost. Beautiful.

  1. Travis Cody says:
    10 February, 2010 18:47

    Barb: I got the heebies just writing that line.

    Lois: I'm glad you liked it.

    Akelamalu: Thanks!

    Charles: I appreciate that.

    V: I did! Thanks for the kind words.

    NNG: Thanks!

    Mags: You're too kind!

    Marsha: Thanks!

    Linda: Not too much of a happy ending in this one.

  1. Anonymous says:
    11 February, 2010 06:15

    Trav, This is my third attempt to add a comment. For some reason they haven't been showing up lately. I tried on your last poem, but didn't notice right away that my comment wasnt' there. Hmmm. Anyway, I liked your piece. You have a wonderful way with words. Sad endings can still make beautiful pieces of prose,eh?

  1. Julia Phillips Smith says:
    11 February, 2010 06:27

    'Harsh now, and near, this unsparing moment
    Loud now, the steps, a border crossed
    Dread now, the sound of that approaching torment
    Turn now, to face love’s promise forever lost'

    LOVE it.

  1. Lana Gramlich says:
    11 February, 2010 11:49

    Dang, man! I order you to Google images of puppies immediately!

  1. Travis Cody says:
    11 February, 2010 17:37

    GGG: I'm sorry you're having trouble with comments. I'm not sure what it could be. But thanks for persevering.

    Julia: That stanza got a last minute edit that made it better. I'm glad you felt the impact.

    Lana: Noted!! LOL!

  1. Mimi Lenox says:
    11 February, 2010 21:16

    Standing. Applauding.
    Brava.

    The spider was a brave move...in so many ways!

  1. Travis Cody says:
    13 February, 2010 09:44

    Mimi: Oddly enough, each time I read this one I end up finding another meaning I hadn't actually intended. That's a good thing.

  1. Jeni says:
    13 February, 2010 11:26

    Trav -do you submit any of your poems for publication any place? You should, you know Very good words and wording.

  1. katherine. says:
    14 February, 2010 12:37

    A determined border of feral mist

    excellent!

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