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I Remain

Poem.

By Paul StewartPublished 11 months ago 1 min read
I Remain
Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

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

inspirationalperformance poetrysad poetrysurreal poetryMental Healthsocial commentaryFree Verse

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!

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  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

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    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

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    The story invoked strong personal emotions

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Comments (17)

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  • angela hepworth8 months ago

    This alliterative poems are amazing! You capture such an emotional depth with this one—amazing.

  • Gina C.11 months ago

    "gazing at the ghostly graven glares, " --> so many powerful lines in here <3

  • Marie381Uk 11 months ago

    Wonderful to read 🍀🍀🍀🍀

  • Babs Iverson11 months ago

    Amazing performance poem!!!

  • D.K. Shepard11 months ago

    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

  • Grz Colm11 months ago

    Enjoyed the alliteration Mr Stewart!

  • Calvin London11 months ago

    A masterpiece in alliteration that only you could produce, Paul. Great piece

  • Mark Graham11 months ago

    All I can say is what a great read.

  • Mother Combs11 months ago

    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.

  • Ashish Chaudhary11 months ago

    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">

  • Silver Daux11 months ago

    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!

  • John Cox11 months ago

    The slow and painful distillation of self. Brilliant, arresting, powerful. You are a survivor, Paul. Well done!

  • Komal11 months ago

    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.

  • mureed hussain11 months ago

    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! 🍩🥐

  • Kendall Defoe 11 months ago

    Alliteration abounds all around!

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