Monday, June 27, 2016

Home Alone


image by shutterstock.com


Home Alone

“The strongest man in the world is he
who stands most alone.”--Henrik Ibsen.

I rose from
          fevered sleep, as
                       summer’s rosy disposition
                                 has overheated my nights,
                        and had breakfast alone;
          for my Rose of Lolita
traveled without me;

as I nursed my              My complaints stood
swollen legs                  in rows, but sunshine
back to health.              overrides self-pity. 
                                    

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub Q12

18 comments:

brudberg said...

The loneliness expressed in a beautiful way. It echoes of something much less than what's normally rosy, more a dream of past.

thotpurge said...

My complaints stood in rows... what a poignant image that is. Wonderfully done Glenn.

debi said...

Oh, WOW. Impressively done

Grace said...

The isolation comes through Glenn. But the sunshine in the end overrides self pity, and nurses us back, if we allow it.

Walt Wojtanik said...

Thank God for the sunshine, Glenn!

tonispencer said...

My goodness you posted this late last night - my time. Hope all is well with you. I so like this line - my complaints stood in rows - but the sunshine disperses self-pity. And sometimes, us elders do get left alone but some of us soldier through it. Or cowboy through it as the case may be. I like how the sunshine does override the self pity in this. Ends up strong.

Anonymous said...

A beautiful expression of loneliness.

Kim M. Russell said...

My favourite lines:

My complaints stood
in rows, but sunshine
overrides self-pity.

De Jackson said...

I love the zig and zag of this, Glenn - both in verbiage and in shape. And that last line is awesome!

Mish said...

You rocked the "rose", sir with a nice variety of uses. I like how his feelings of loneliness eventually lead to some sunnier reflections, though loneliness can be surely be devastating long term.

Victoria said...

This spoke to me so poignantly. One of your best in terms of evoking emotion. And I loved the ending

Truedessa said...

I wonder why there is lowliness in a world full of people. I can feel the pains of sorrow in each line.

Gayle Walters Rose said...

Such an air of true loneliness but somehow there is a bright spot in there where any pity fades. Love this, Glenn.

Josslyn Rae Turner said...

Beautiful piece! :)

Anonymous said...

It's great that even though things weren't going well, the sunrise was appreciated - hard to do! Wonderful!!

Susan Anderson said...

It's hard when health problems create isolation. I know from personal experience that being left behind to heal is no fun. Having said that, the poet is not wont to wallow in self-pity. He acknowledgeS and moves on…under the sun. Well done!

Misky said...

An Overheated night ... oh yes, and the shape of the line is perfect for content. Nice.nice.nice.

Buddah Moskowitz said...

Very nice. I, too, have been there.