I stare at the empty coffin
Wondering how a person’s
Heart can die but
Their body can go on to
Dye their whole appearance
A different colour and
Hang smiles from their lips
As if they didn’t watch
Somebody else pass away
Right alongside their empathy
❀
I yell and scream and
Cry for the person you were
But am only greeted with
Cold indifference by
The person you have become
❀
I want to force her to
Shed her second skin like
It is just a woollen jumper
And not water turned ice
But what if the act
Was your kindness?
(Then I’d give myself
Hypothermia trying
To unbury it from
The snow it’s hidden under)
❀
I stare at the gravestone
But how can I properly
Mourn you when I know
You are alive and not
Even slightly grieving for me?
❀❀❀❀❀
If you enjoyed this please read more of my poetry and prose:
About the Creator
Poppy
poetry in progress
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
FPS: The Last Flame Challenge Winners
Welcome to our first Winners Announcement of the year and to the final challenge in the Fall Poetry Series. The Last Flame invited writers to sit with endings, using fire as a central image to consider what remains when something burns out: ash, warmth, memory, silence, or the faint promise of what comes next. The strongest pieces treated endings as gradual rather than sudden, allowing them to flicker, dim, and linger.
By Vocal Curation Team7 days ago in Resources
Comments (9)
There are so many poems and words of loss, would that I could mend every broken heart.
I liked these themes of how relationships change expressed so creatively and symbolically! 😊
just loved your insight here.
Omgggg, that last stanza!!!!! I often wonder how can someone be so happy when I'm mourning the loss of them. Fantastic poem!
Wow. That's incredible. Well done.
Dye and die. Really excellent and profound poem, how the still living body becomes the empty shell that once contained someone now lost. Great!
What a great poem!
And yet, we mourn what has been lost anyway, whether anyone else acknowledges it or not.
This was a sad pleasure to read, Poppy! My favorite line was this one: " Shed her second skin like It is just a woollen jumper" So evocative and sensory, so beautiful! If it's based on a real feeling you're working through, I hope the burden eases <3