I am continuing my tribute posts to specific poets/writers I feel like deserve it and this one is no different. This one is dedicated to Louise Glück who is one of those writers who has been around for a while, but I recently discovered her after contributing to a competition on DUP in her honor. The other thing I am doing with these tribute posts is that I am posting them as close as I can to their birthdays. It helps honor them in a certain way. Glück’s birthday is April 22nd. This piece that I wrote is based on one of her most prolific pieces “Afterword” (here is the link for that piece). And for this piece I received runner up. Here it is and I hope that you enjoy reading it!!
Afterthought (Inspired by Louise Glück)
The blank pages and canvas in front of me
Remain barren and empty. Why? Maybe
I no longer feel any of the inspiration and
blood flowing through my veins like they
once did before. Maybe my voice chose
to give out. All I can do is hope for the rose
to start blooming again and for a miracle
to take me back to the empty roads where
I felt most at home. Even the changes in
scenery did not ease my mind anymore.
All I can think about is the world that tears
apart at the seams. But no one seems to
care about the darkness or shadows that
creep in. They want to read about light
and happiness. Death happens every day
yet we choose to ignore it like the warning
signs for a pending storm. We ignore the
pain for a moment as the loss finally kicks
in and we scramble to find the pieces. The
pages and canvas start swaying side to side
like a car that stops following the paved road.
Is there an answer in the wind? Maybe hope
is on the horizon. Maybe all the answers lay
hidden in how I hold the pen or paintbrush.
The inspiration could come back as the chaos
and clutter finally depart like an airplane that
is ready for takeoff. We were once all children
who never had to worry about explaining our
failures or disappointments in both life and
love to anyone. We never had to worry about
life’s afterthoughts. How I wish we can all be
explorers again as the foliage becomes vibrant.
As we grew older nothing made sense anymore
and nothing was as important as the closed door.