Ice cube pressed to lips,
nostrils flare at exhales
as shoulders heave.
Ignore the oppressive humidity.
Ignore salt tears and warm blood.
Let ice cold droplets dilute the red,
drip to chin, to chest
stain rug.
He seemed different,
until he did not.
Walt is tending bar today, this third day of dVerse’s fifth anniversary. He asks us to write a poem that reacts to this quotation by Sebastian Barry from his novel A Long, Long Way: “I am cold, even though the heat of early summer is adequate. I am cold becasue I cannot find my heart.”
lillian the home poet 
So very sensual, with a pinch of existentialism–nice twist on the prompt. Like so many things in life, they work well until they don’t.
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Always makes me happy to get a good reply from you, Glenn! 🙂 Glad you liked it.
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Agree with Glenn. Sensual and descriptive.
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Thanks, Walter.
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This is beyond cold, it is punishing cold and cruel. Perhaps she should leave him, eventually ~
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Yes. Went to the dark side with this one.
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This is awesome. Really, really good poetry.
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Oh my. Thank you so much for your very kind words!
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Extremely chilling!
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I read the quotation and thought of ice cubes and somehow my pen took me here.
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Yes, you went to the darkside. Makes me think about the why of the ice cube – like a bloodied nose perhaps. Things are find, until they are….not. Great work.
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Have no idea why this quotation brought me to bloody lips and ice cubes! Today’s poem shall be more cheerful – promise! 🙂
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Our poems don’t always have to be cheerful. I tend to be because of who I am. But our darkside is noteworthy as well. I love the twitter poetry and have found an online twitter counter to help me. I must confess, if the idea is twitter, why string so many together? I love the brevity of it and I imagine, my old Japanese soul will use less than the 140 per tweet.
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Your wring my friend is beauty in less.
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Thank you. A haiku seems to be on average about 86 characters. I found a wonderful Twitter counter online to help.
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I used that too!
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Abuse, how sad, and how well you used the quote.
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Domestic abuse is very very sad — and far too often hidden. My heart aches for people who find themselves in these situations.
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oh the words and the image you chose break the heart…
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yes, indeed. Somehow my pen just moved into this….today’s shall be more cheerful! 🙂
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Deliciously dark and enticing ❤ love this take on the prompt 🙂
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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Thank you Sanaa.
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I believe we were on the same page with this one, Lillian!
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Will have to mosey over to see yours.
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a gorgeous quote begets a gorgeous piece –
lovely and moving, my friend
am:)
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It was a hard one to write.
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Understood 🙂
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