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New Song Training

An Ekphrastic challenge entry

By Judey Kalchik Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 1 min read
By Christy Munson

I am losing

Parts of us,

By mistake? Or somehow choosing

To open-handed release my you: no fuss only wonder at the weight remaining.

The touch/taste/smell and sigh of we

Has seeped inside these walls and beams

Darts out of sight too quick for me to see

Leaving the timbre of your voice, it seems

Just out of reach despite my heart’s determined straining.

I don’t know when you last laughed

What warmed your heart

Or left you cold adrift upon a raft

Of longing, needing touch to jump start

And renew that vitality seeping, weeping, draining.

Can I call to you with music? Which song

Will guide you to me across space and time?

Will you hear me? Has it been so long

Since we wove ourselves together, knit with rhyme

Flying sure into eternity, towards forever aiming.

When did you last the sweet chords strum?

What chorus, bridge, and melody

Did you sing to me to coax me come

Into your arms? All I know is you: now far from me

As I dust your guitar, the strings thrum reproachfully complaining.

Did I not love enough, or not so well

That your spirit/body suffered life and left

Now I remain, and silent strings refuse to tell

Me of love with the notes you coaxed. I am bereft

As I breathe across the strings and dream the notes, tears blur, the music staining.

-

This poem is an entry into Mackenzie Davi’s latest ekphrastic challenge. I was assigned the image heading this poem to inspire a story or poem of my choice.

You can see the other entrants and read more about the challenge here:

Ekphrastic

About the Creator

Judey Kalchik

It's my time to find and use my voice.

Poetry, short stories, memories, and a lot of things I think and wish I'd known a long time ago.

You can also find me on Medium

And please follow me on Threads, too!

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

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Comments (11)

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  • Angie the Archivist 📚🪶about a year ago

    What a beautiful poem, perfectly suited to the lovely photo. I especially liked: “ What chorus, bridge, and melody Did you sing to me to coax me come Into your arms?”💙 Also liked the rhythm and rhyme ✅.

  • Grz Colmabout a year ago

    A beauty! Congrats Judey. 👏😊

  • Mackenzie Davisabout a year ago

    Winners have been announced! https://shopping-feedback.today/writers/winners-of-ekphrastic-two%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">

  • Mackenzie Davisabout a year ago

    Ugh, my heart. "The touch/taste/smell and sigh of we Has seeped inside these walls and beams Darts out of sight too quick for me to see Leaving the timbre of your voice, it seems Just out of reach despite my heart’s determined straining." This is just amazing. I adore every line, I could easily copy paste its entirety as my favorite. Just full of longing, heartbreak, and love that was once happy. The way you weaved in the guitar is so well done. Seamless. "When did you last the sweet chords strum? What chorus, bridge, and melody Did you sing to me to coax me come Into your arms? All I know is you: now far from me As I dust your guitar, the strings thrum reproachfully complaining." Central to the speaker's love story. What a great read. 💜

  • Natalie Wilkinsonabout a year ago

    Beautiful,Judey.

  • Heartbreak for sure here

  • Babs Iverson2 years ago

    Lovely yet heartwrenching!!!💕❤️❤️

  • Poppy 2 years ago

    This is gorgeously heartbreaking Judey. So well written. I thought this would be my favourite part but then found so many more astounding lines: 'I don’t know when you last laughed What warmed your heart Or left you cold adrift upon a raft" Incredibly beautiful poem!!

  • D.K. Shepard2 years ago

    Great poem and use of Christy’s photo for inspiration!! Loved “Can I call to you with music? Which song Will guide you to me across space and time?”

  • Muhammad Safdar2 years ago

    You can also read my stories.

  • Muhammad Safdar2 years ago

    Nice one

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