semblance of self struck me silently
gazing at the ghostly graven glares,
cold creeps cradles and caresses
my mind is momentarily muted for minutes
or hours, holding me in horror, haunted
breaking the bonds, breaking the banality
little by little, ligaments and limbs lighten
free... will free... free... will frozen
arrogance, aggression, ambivalence, amber
red realisation reluctance then reticence and resignation
as the abyss accepts me, absorbs and absolves me
little by little, ligaments and limbs lighten,
breaking the banality, breaking the bonds
of hours, held in horror, haunted
my mind momentarily muted, for minutes
as the cradling and caressing of the cold creeps clears
and the ghostly graven glares give out
the semblance of self summoned from stillness
present in person and, present in place and point in time
I remain
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions


Comments (17)
This alliterative poems are amazing! You capture such an emotional depth with this one—amazing.
"gazing at the ghostly graven glares, " --> so many powerful lines in here <3
Wonderful to read 🍀🍀🍀🍀
Amazing performance poem!!!
Wow, Paul! This is great! I love how there's some mirroring with the beginning and ending lines (paired will with the image too) and of course the alliteration is striking and makes each line its own little gem
Enjoyed the alliteration Mr Stewart!
A masterpiece in alliteration that only you could produce, Paul. Great piece
All I can say is what a great read.
This whole poem is so freaking awesome, but that last line, just WoW!!
And now that silent calm prevails, who am I that remains? I see Ashish hit you, too.
https://shopping-feedback.today/education/the-emotional-journey-of-long-distance-love-h4nuu0icd%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class="css-w4qknv-Replies">
This is a masterclass in effective alliteration. And the way that last line breaks apart the entire structure feels like a gut punch. There's a depth to this that speaks directly to the soul. This is such an amazing piece of writing. I feel like I could read it ten times over and still find something new. I really hope this gets Top Story so more eyes are on it. This really is something special. You've outdone yourself!
The slow and painful distillation of self. Brilliant, arresting, powerful. You are a survivor, Paul. Well done!
This feels like a hypnotic descent into and then a rise out of the abyss—rhythmic, haunting, and eerily beautiful. Definitely one to sit with for a while.
This is a beautifully written and evocative piece! The imagery is haunting and powerful, particularly the "ghostly graven glares" and the "cold creeps cradling and caressing." The repetition of phrases like "little by little" and "breaking the banality" emphasizes the struggle and the gradual return to presence. The final, simple "I remain" is a powerful statement of resilience and self-possession. It's a captivating and introspective work.👍✨
Oooo, your alliteration is soooo impressive! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Loved your poem! 🍩🥐
Alliteration abounds all around!