Sunday, April 8, 2012

Don't Say No....

April 8, Poem-A-Day Challenge, National Poetry Month

For today’s prompt, write a rejected poem. Despite some acceptances, many of my poems have been rejected for submission over the years–but that’s not quite what I mean by rejected poem. I’m more interested in poems that work the idea of rejection into the poem somehow. This could take the form of a poet lamenting rejection, though also a rejected friend or student or whatever.

Not Again...

I watch the eyes
Not quite meeting mine
Looking to the side,
And I know...
It's going to be the same
Old, tired story--

I keep trying;
With renewed hope,
With a bit more courage,
With determination,
Knowing this time,
Some time,
It will be "yes".

Yet, here we are again.
And I see, once more,
Eyes sliding to the side.
Once more, the slight step back.
Quirk of mouth, once more
Forming the dreaded syllable.

One more "No"--one more
"Not now". One more
Rejection of my truth--
I can't deal with it again.
Not this time.

I turn from the mirror.

© Aisling the Bard, 2012. All Rights Reserved

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