Edge of Extinction

Edge of Extinction

Flirting with the ocean
Standing on jagged rocks
Daring it to dress her
with its beauty
To take her completely
Into its arms
and hold her down
until she could breathe
no more
Teasing and begging
for the attention
Wishing to surrender
to its power but,
her lover not receptive
 
Screaming above the waves
of anger lashing at rocks
her voice fell, unheard
The night dark and broody
but a velvet sky pushed back
the lingering curtain of clouds
Silence fell with a halted wind
and the angry sea
slowed its breath to a whisper
Tempt me no longer, it said
You use me to dull your pain
but I will not take you this night
Instead I will wash it away
So you may live another day
 
 
Copyright © 2021 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
All Rights Reserved

Lisa is hosting D'Verse Poets tonight and has
prompted us with "Edge" and "Fringe".  I am sharing
a reworked poem that I had written several years ago.
I think it works for this challenge. 

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

  31 comments for “Edge of Extinction

  1. March 4, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    I love this!!!!!

    • Christine Bolton
      March 4, 2021 at 10:18 pm

      Thanks Helen!! ☺️

  2. March 4, 2021 at 8:29 pm

    WOW, poignant and powerful–Bravo.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 4, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      Thank you Zelda! ☺️

      • March 4, 2021 at 9:34 pm

        You’re welcome.

  3. March 4, 2021 at 1:38 pm

    Hi Christine, arthritic fingers making typing excruciating, but was here and read — good work!

    • Christine Bolton
      March 4, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      Thank you Rob. I can empathize. It sucks getting older, doesn’t it?

    • Christine Bolton
      March 5, 2021 at 11:11 am

      Thanks Rob. Always appreciated ☺️

  4. March 4, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Beautifully written! 👏

    • Christine Bolton
      March 4, 2021 at 7:30 am

      Thank you Rhonda ☺️

  5. Beverly Crawford
    March 3, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    A gripping tale, well titled!

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 11:23 pm

      Thanks Beverly. I’m happy you liked it 👍

  6. March 3, 2021 at 3:57 pm

    I love how you captured the duality of the edge, both beauty and danger… I think that’s why we seek those places in life.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 11:24 pm

      Yes everything would seem quite dull if we didn’t. Thanks Bjorn ☺️

  7. March 3, 2021 at 12:25 pm

    <3 <3 <3 The ocean has the wisdom of the eons. You've tapped into her wisdom here, Christine.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 12:53 pm

      Thanks Lisa, I thought the old poem might work with some adjustments. I’m happy it worked for the prompt. Thanks for all you do at D’Verse ☺️

      • March 3, 2021 at 1:24 pm

        You are very welcome and it was perfect for the prompt. My pleasure, Christine 🙂

  8. March 3, 2021 at 11:24 am

    Oh, this is so powerful. There’s a whole story in these two stanzas. I particularly liked the language of the first stanza–flirting with the ocean.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      Thank you so much Merril. I always think Nature has a way of curing us, no matter the ailment ☺️

      • March 3, 2021 at 1:27 pm

        It works for me!

  9. March 3, 2021 at 8:45 am

    Wonderful and haunting.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Thank you dear Regina ☺️

  10. March 3, 2021 at 7:04 am

    That’s where we will be on the edge of extinction, if we don’t do something soon. I love the image in the opening lines, Christine, ‘flirting with the ocean / standing on jagged rocks / daring it to dress her / with its beauty’.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Thank you Kim. The original of this poem was in response to a D’Verse prompt of metaphor a few years ago. I changed it a little and kept most of the metaphors as you can see! ☺️

  11. March 3, 2021 at 1:52 am

    So beautifully written, Christine. I can feel her pain and hear the waves breaking as they rise and fall. It reads so well out loud!

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 10:26 am

      Thank you Chris. That was a lovely thing to say ☺️

  12. March 3, 2021 at 1:31 am

    Very powerful, Christine.

    Yours,
    David

    • Christine Bolton
      March 3, 2021 at 10:25 am

      Thanks David ☺️

  13. March 2, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    Oh how deep and poignant! Bravo Christine

    • Christine Bolton
      March 2, 2021 at 11:56 pm

      Thanks so much dear Sadje. I always appreciate your kind words 🥰

      • March 3, 2021 at 12:15 am

        You’re always welcome my friend

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