The Breath We Have Not Taken
Unsplash inspiration
Ships sleep on the water,
Blocking out the sun,
And people too,
Lulled into slumber by ripples
Losing their purchase against industrial black.
The fruits of faraway factories wash ashore
Packaged in crude attempts at color.
Beyond the crests of distant waves,
There is nothing tangible but vapor
And oyster shells cloistered by shallow water,
Turning sand into splendor untouched by daylight.
Is that where your dreams went, too,
Chased out to sea when the tide came in carrying metal?
Isn't it time to come up for air?
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Thank you so much to Ashley Lima for coming up with this unique prompt! When I searched for "Harbor" on Unsplash, I was expecting an image that evoked peace to be the first result, but what I was given to work with didn't conjure that at all for me. Overall, working off of the image was a nice literary stretch. I have linked the original below. Hopefully, it inspires you, too!
About the Creator
Harbor Benassa
I carry a piece of the things that I love wherever I go. I love short fiction, chocolate ganache, forensic science, and, aptly, the water.
Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insight
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
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More stories from Harbor Benassa and writers in Poets and other communities.
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts7 days ago in Longevity
Comments (14)
Oh, I am glad I went looking for more top story/poems of yours! This is a treat 😁
What an absolutely beautiful and poignant call back to reality! Thank you for sharing <3
An exquisite tapestry of emotions and visuals woven through words! "The Breath We Have Not Taken" captures the essence of Unsplash's inspiration, leaving us breathless and enchanted. A poetic journey that lingers in the heart and mind! 🌌✨https://shopping-feedback.today/authors/zeeshan-may%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">
just posted my first story today and sadly not even one person has read it
Wonderfully written!!! Congratulations on Top Story!!!❤️❤️💕
wonderful poem! congrats!
This is absolutely lovely my dear. Yet another challenge to tittilate my senses. You are a wordsmith for sure. Congrats.
You did a really outstanding job with this. As others have already said, the imagery in your prose is incredible. Congratulations on Top Story!
Oh lovely imagery! I think I'll try that challenge out, sounds like fun
Amazing and Congratulations on your Top Story💯❤️📝💥😉🎉
Congrats on your TS :D
Very nicely done!
Very well done! I can picture everything.
This is so beautiful! Well done on the challenge and really cool picture!