Dying for Love
This poem was inspired by the July 31 poetry prompt in The Daily Poet: Day-by-Day Prompts for Your Writing Practice by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano. I have handy book on my Kindle and while I don’t look at it every day, every once in a while I decide to see what the prompt for the day is. Today’s prompt was titled “Gritty, Gutsy, and Groveling.” It called for writing in the style of Kim Addonizio, who I’ve never read, but is described as a poet who writes about “regrets and resignation, pleasure and pain.” The poem was to include at least 6 of the following 11 words: stilettos, hangover, whiskey, cigarette, dying, love, begging, naked, jail, dog, and hotel. I’ve italicized the ones I used in this biographical work written from the perspective of an old friend.
8/6/15 update: Shared for http://dversepoets.com/2015/08/06/openlinknight-153/. Head over and check out some other great poetry.
Dying for Love
She never wore stilettos—they weren’t her style
But I remember her red crop top and hip-hugger jeans
And that radiant smile that masked her tears
the pain and loneliness she never shared
All she wanted was love—but as cliché as it sounds
she looked for it in all the wrong places
Parties filled with cigarette smoke—a kegger up on Fuller Hill
At the bottom of a whiskey bottle shared with a mutual friend
If you could have seen her naked soul
You would have known she was dying, or at least not living
I caught up with her on Facebook the other day
Her profile pic still had that radiant smile
But the tears behind it were different now
Tears of peace and joy because she’d found
Forgiveness and real Love at last
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Good poem… dying for love… I know the feeling.
Real Love is the drug that cures most ills..
Finding Real Love is often the challenge
of ‘JOB’ for those who are abused by
others.. no matter beauty.. money..
or style.. the soUl
is all there
is.. and without
spiRit expression of
an emotional heArt..
there can be no sOul
WHO lives free for Now..:)
I love how this ended on a high note. I have the habit of looking for love in people I can’t have aka all the wrong places; i hope this journey ends on a high note as well.
I hope so, too. 🙂
This is so beautiful & deep.
Beautifully penned!
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Well expressed..a complete picture filled with sympathy and grace.
So glad she is now living for love….sad that so many people go through this and how many do not survive.
My hope with my writing is that I can help some find the way to the true love of God. It is so much better than the life I once led. Peace, Linda
Lots to recognise here, Linda – truth in this tale too… Soulfully done… With Best Wishes Scott
Excellent writing to an unusual prompt, Linda, loved how you turned all those disparate items into a meaningful story.
I love the story in your poem – poignant but real.
Oh and maybe having looked in all the wrong places she might have been convinced she had found the right way.
Quite a story!
Well I am glad she found love and peace at last ~ Thanks for the share ~
We learn so much as we move beyond youth… and sometimes our mistakes are the best teacher…
True, though I wish I could have learned some lessons an easier way.
So glad this had a happy ending–so often it doesn’t. And I’d recomment reading Adonnizio–I have a poetry how-to book by her. She also offers prompts in that book. Quite good. I don’t have a poetry only book though.
I will definitely check her out. I’m glad this had a happy ending, too, since it’s about me. 🙂 Peace, Linda
Ahhh. I’m in a teary mood now. The good kind.
I am glad that she found that love she was seeking & hopefully left behind some of her earlier vices.
Yes, most definitely. 🙂