Laying with my head pressed against your chest
Each thump of your heart echoes in my mind
You’re never fully present or at rest
Always searching for what you’ve yet to find
I’ve got nostalgia for those early days
When our possibilities seemed infinite
Now I fear we’re headed our separate ways
Of your one hundred heartbeats per minute
How many thumps belong solely to me?
If closeness is measured by more than skin,
Is the thing we share just proximity?
The string connecting us is wearing thin
Is it in my head or are they faster?
Each new beat coming quicker than the last
So rapidly heading for disaster
Until “we” becomes a thing of the past
Author's Note: Just one more microfiction coming out later today and then I'll have reached the 100 Story mark! Unofficial challenge will launch tomorrow morning!
Update: Challenge is on! And this poem is one of my example entries! Check out the details in the sort linked below.
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from D.K. Shepard and writers in Poets and other communities.
Dilettante
Dilettante: a person who cultivates an area of interest without real commitment or knowledge, a dabbler in the fine arts My Connection: I enjoy a visit to an art museum as well as the occasional spectating of performance arts, but I’m definitely not a dedicated student of the finer things in life. I feel like I can appreciate them but I’ll definitely never experience them in the way a committed expert does. Even as a writer I’m definitely more of a simple storyteller than a creator of literature.
By D.K. Shepardabout a year ago in Poets
Comments (18)
Such a beautifully heartbreaking poem! Wonderful job.
ugh....yes, this is so spot on. Great poem, DK, just so profound and haunting
Such a beautiful, hopelessly heartbreaking poem that genuinely kinda sunk me! DK this is another example of why I'm glad to know you and get read your work! well done!
Beautiful and heartbreaking, DK!
Oh, that's a crusher, and all too relatable from the other side of the monitor! I'll try to get some writing done for the challenge. Congratulations again on #100, D.K!
Your poem is breathtaking ♥
Such a beautiful poem…. Love the rhythm and rhyme. Impressive exemplar for your 100 Challenge 🤩.
"That's super relatable! Awesome job!"
All too relatable! ♥
This was so beautiful!! I'll have to ponder how I want to do your challenge since I can only do one entry of each... I did skim it but I'll give it a full read tomorrow... 😅
Good job!
This is beautiful, even with the heartbreak. Well done.
Very relatable for me! Well done!
This is so heartbreaking and relatable. I definitely felt the emotion in your words. Amazing, D.K.!
You really conveyed the anxiety, the uncertainty, and the entangled dependency that can live in the moments before a relationship ends or even after it's already been over and one party struggles to accept this truth. Gorgeous words, so emotive and alive and spreading. What a heartbeat you put out there with your pieces; it's so inspiring.
I’m not sure how you can make that horrible time before a breakup beautiful, but you did. This was stunning.
Great poem, great accomplishment, and now you have my interest….
Powerful thought-provoking words, D.K., and what an accomplishment that you are so close to 100 (stories, not heartbeats!) Well done!