The coffee is still hot, though I am gone.
The porch light hums, a moth trapped in its glare.
You said you’d follow, but I walked alone.
-
My name curled on your tongue, then tumbled on
Too quiet, like the breath before a prayer.
The coffee is still hot, though I am gone.
-
The floorboards didn’t break. The house went on.
Even ghosts grow tired of waiting there.
You said you’d follow, but I walked alone.
-
I packed no bag, the leaving had begun
Long before I ever touched the stairs.
The coffee is still hot, though I am gone.
-
I wanted you to stop me. Just say “don’t.”
You said “be safe,” as if I’d just repair.
You said you’d follow, but I walked alone.
-
Some love is thunder. Ours was just the dawn –
So soft I wasn’t sure it had been there.
The coffee is still hot, though I am gone.
-
You said you’d follow.
But I walked alone.
-
Coda
If you find this note, don’t call me back.
Just let the mug cool quiet in the rack.
Let this be the warmth you never spoke.
Let this be the promise that we broke.
About the Creator
Aspen Noble
I draw inspiration from folklore, history, and the poetry of survival. My stories explore the boundaries between mercy and control, faith and freedom, and the cost of reclaiming one’s own magic.
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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 drafts6 days ago in Longevity
Comments (4)
It feels almost haunting, and reads like lyrics. Very beautiful.
Gosh this was so heartbreaking and the repetition made it seem like song lyrics. Loved your poem!
I have not read a poem in this style and I find it an interesting way to express the authors message. The repetitive lines add a layer that accentuates the underlying tone of emotions
I love the emotion and "read between the lines" feel of this poem. The modifications to the Villanelle form certainly served the theme well. Good luck in the Challenge!