The Cold Hand
For ViM's June Prompt
An opiate dream I tell myself
Distinctly, I recall the downfall of my health
When I saw heaven in your eyes and hell in my hands
Oh, lady bright! My actions were not mine,
But some misfortune from the divine!
Your cold hand rests now, as it is forever lasting
And my mind is forever tapping
With more melancholy, so deep
With guilt I hear again in my fitful sleep
When your rosemary and lily scents become the din
Oh, poor child of sin
grown old and weak and weary
Burdened by the loneliness so dreary.
Even now I see your beauty so laughingly
Even now I see your beauty so fearfully
Thy dress of floral saw your eternal slumber
While my hands saw your eternal grave
I pray to God that my punishment is swift
Swift and painless from this unmitigated rift
As your cold hand caresses my neck and skin
Though your soul lies hid, I always, always hear your din
As the curtain canopy knows my lies
I will always recall the look in your eyes.
The ghosts and shadows beckon my window
Out into the night so bleak and indigo.
Will you be a witness to my demise?
And then, only then, will this be an end to my guise.
*****
A/N
This is for ViM's June Prompt to write a found poem using words from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Sleeper" linked below.
This was a fun challenge. Sprinkled a bit of "The Raven" in there, too, because I adore that poem and I couldn't resist. This is a fictional poem, obviously, and forgive the dark theme.
Thank you so much for reading!
About the Creator
Euan Brennan
UK-based. Reader, writer, gamer, idiot. I love creating stories. Working on some long fiction.
Taking a little break from Vocal~
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Comments (20)
YOU ARE AMAZINGGG!! IM IN AWEE OF THISS!!!🥺🥺🙏🏾
To dark for me, but a good piece of work Euan. Nicely done - Incredible job.
Stunning! I hit the "golden buzzer"-I'm in! This was TOP!
I thought I heard echoes of the Raven! Loved how your poem captures Poe’s melancholy, Euan! Good luck!
Woohoo! I saw you won the challenge! Congrats! 🥳🥳You really deserve it. :)
Congratulations on your well deserved win!
Congratulations!!
You did an incredible job channeling your inner Poe! The cadence of this poem was haunting and mesmerizing. So well written. Congratulations on your win.
So happy for you! 😊 Congratulations on your win, Euan! 🥳
The lilt of the Raven carried through this, like a poetic wafting and beckoning scent. Well done.
Dark theme is not my cup of tea but you nailed this perfectly. It's a haunting beauty with melancholic mood. The tone of this is timeless, like a lament from a forgotten tragedy. Euan! Keep it up
Impressive poem… beautiful rhyme and conclusion.
This was EXCELLENT Euan. Seriously this was something else. I know it was using Poe’s words but this reminded me of the metaphysical poets. Good luck in the challenge. You crushed it.
I have to repeat Dharrsheena's question: "What do you mean, forgive the dark theme?!" Your poem was amazing! I felt like I was enchanted when reading it. It surrounded me.
I love "The Raven", too. You have a little Poe hiding in you... don't you? This was so well written, so flowy and vivid. I saw the whole story playing in front of my mind's eyes like a movie. If you'd write a whole novel but written as a poem in book length, I'd read it in one sitting.
LOVE this. Wowzers. I got sucked right in and felt all the feels.
I thought I saw hints of the Raven. Good entry, Euan <3
What do you mean forgive the dark theme?! I live for this stuff and it was absolutely deliciously dark! You nailed this challenge!
This was phenomenally done!! You’ve done Poe such justice, my friend!
Euan, you nailed it; this is absolutely one of my favorites from you. Of course, I am a super-duper Poe fan, and love how you altered the use of regular script with bold. I felt the "Raven" in your piece and will most definitely read and reread this poem. 👏👏👏