To the Girl I Met Beside the Swings
The winter wind tugs the stubborn last leaf,
past is its glory days, yet it clings fast.
Battered and dead, it refuses relief,
but on a mild day, it falls at long last.
Always, I remain, though my time has passed.
When my presence is no longer welcome,
still I linger here, forever steadfast,
desperately beating a broken drum.
I once called someone my confidant—
all I was to her was competition.
What was to me a fond sisterly bond,
was a tool to further her ambitions.
My best was never enough; she left.
She walks by, so familiar yet foreign.
All but forgotten, alone I bled red,
hiding my pain like a secret weapon.
Struggling against the waters of fate,
until I tired myself out and drowned,
but for what? The one who laughed at my state?
It took some time, but I came around.
With love, I thank her for changing her mind.
Our paths were never meant to be intertwined.
- Helen He
I love that first stanza. It's such a powerful metaphor that sets the wistful tone for what's to come. But it's also interesting that the the leaf can be interpreted as "clinging" past its time, or as a survivor.
ReplyDeleteThe A/B/A/B rhyme scheme of the poem is really clever because it gives the piece a sense of movement/progress despite the initial image of remaining longer than necessary. With every line I read, I was eager for the next two because I wanted to see how the rhyme scheme would be fulfilled. The form of the stanzas is such a beautiful tie-in to the final couplet, in which the narrator has moved on. It's like the poem is telling us all along that it will be okay, that the narrator is not actually stuck. So beautiful!
I found this piece of work to be a powerful reminder of the vagaries of life. How sometimes grow in and out of relationships. I agree with Celeste that the first Stanza was a brilliant way to prepare the reader for the rest of the Poem.I think that if I had to choose a favorite Line in the Poem , that it would be the last two lines :"With love, I thank her for changing her mind." 'Our paths were never meant to be intertwined". I love the sense of growth that is represented by this work.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really moving poem that uses so many beautiful metaphors and heartfelt storytelling that, at least to me, serves as commentary on friendship and failure
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