Illusive Time

lillian

My kaleidoscope memories,
colorful because they feature you and me.
Time before you
sepia toned, indistinct.

Like a deeply embedded sliver
tender to the touch,
fear festers
as you sleep beside me.

I need
longer days
and many many more,
to continue being us.


Written for dVerse where today it’s Quadrille Monday. Kim is hosting and asks us to include the word “sliver” in our poem of exactly 44 words, sans title.

Image by Dmitri Posudin from Pixabay

27 thoughts on “Illusive Time”

  1. Melissa Lemay's avatar Melissa Lemay September 4, 2023 / 3:05 pm

    This is very beautiful. I love the connection between color and memory.

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  3. kim881's avatar kim881 September 4, 2023 / 3:17 pm

    What a gorgeous love quadrille, Lill, so heartfelt. I love the use of different colours, kaleidoscopic and sepia toned, and that poignant ‘deeply embedded sliver’ of fear, that we all have as we get older.

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  4. merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith September 4, 2023 / 3:33 pm

    This is so beautiful, Lillian. I love how it seems the “before you” time is devoid of color, but then the world becomes full of color. The fear that it won’t last. This is such a heartfelt love poem. ❤️

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    • lillian's avatar lillian September 4, 2023 / 4:52 pm

      After 53 years of marriage…it’s true….the memories I have before we were married, most especially before we met, truly are very faded in comparison to our time together.

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      • merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith September 4, 2023 / 6:02 pm

        I understand.
        My husband and I met when we were in 9th grade.

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  5. Miriam E.'s avatar Miriam E. September 4, 2023 / 3:42 pm

    Love the colors, Lillian and he warmth you share in this beautiful quadrille. There is an undertone in this… the fear of loss creeping in – I hope there will be as much time for you, as you desire.

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  6. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry September 4, 2023 / 4:03 pm

    Your poem is heartfelt and powerful, Lillian. The story of all of us still being us as we age!

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  7. alisonhankinson's avatar alisonhankinson September 4, 2023 / 4:26 pm

    This is very poignant Lillian and very heartfelt. Those raw moments where time stops and despite everything you look across and think “but I don’t want to be without you.” Fear of loss.

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  9. Gillena Cox's avatar Gillena Cox September 4, 2023 / 5:27 pm

    Nice one.
    Happy Monday

    Much🖤love

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  10. pandamoniumcat's avatar pandamoniumcat September 4, 2023 / 5:47 pm

    A deeply felt poem… that is so relatable that fear of losing someone you love so much.

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    • lillian's avatar lillian September 6, 2023 / 8:39 am

      As a septuagenarian, I am often reminded that the journey in front of us (my husband of 53 years) and I is much shorter than the path behind us. Thankful for every day.

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  11. Mish's avatar Mish September 4, 2023 / 8:11 pm

    I feel the underlying angst in this piece and it does resonate. Life is so wonderful, but short and every moment a blessing. It is only natural to think ahead and difficult to focus only in the present. I love the unique analogy with the embedded sliver.

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    • lillian's avatar lillian September 6, 2023 / 8:40 am

      I think that’s the key, Mish…..to be present in the present. Thankful for every day.

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  13. ben Alexander's avatar ben Alexander September 6, 2023 / 2:30 am

    I need
    longer days
    and many many more,

    We all relate to this sentiment, Lillian, which you so beautifully express here.

    Much love,
    David

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