I held your hand
in a taxi, once,
while thinking of another
as you whispered into my ear,
a sound I no longer remember,
a scent now a breath away from touchable.
I cannot hold everything anymore,
not everything nor everyone.
I recall the yellow light
yearning to hold its own innocence
stretching through the window
burning hands still holding onto a truth
that had turned away from white,
I remember the highway
that hurried us out of the city
as I wondered if I’d packed enough hope
for us both.
But I cannot hold everything, anymore,
no more. The elastic cannot be recalled,
the weight was too wearisome
for just one heart.
I hope now to hold clarity, to hold happy,
happy to be free. Happy me,
now lighter, brighter
reaching out for that plant pot
with its purple petal planted, long ago,
in a garden I am returning to.
A garden where I will sit
and watch the dance of the dandelions
till the yellow sun has descended,
where I will empty all the jam jars
of their collected lies
and draw the sound of the moon, at last.
All words and photography by Damien B. Donnelly
Penultimate poem for National Poetry Writing Month
Damien B. Donnelly 
Oh, that is glorious, the transition from the hurrying taxi through cities along highways to end up in such utter tranquility.
Thank you so much Jane. It’s been a tough month, I seem to have poured more into these poems than into therapy but tranquility is the perfect word. I think i am understanding what it means and what it takes to get there. Thank you so much for your kindness 🤗😘
I hope you get there. It sounds as though you are. In terms of therapy, there are few things better than writing poetry 🙂
Oh that is so true, I feel like I should pay myself at times instead of the therapist!
I’m sorry to hear you’re having therapy. In my experience they’re a bunch of charlots but you might have found a good one. I wish I was closer, I’m a good listener 🙂
She is Scotish so I am already calmed by the accent. We’ve only had one session so far so it is doesn’t work out I might pop over for a cup of tea
You’d be very welcome. A pleasant change from this bunch who were supposed to leave this evening and missed the train…
😂😂😂😂🤭
Wow…. Love the last lines
“where I will empty all the jam jars
of their collected lies
and draw the sound of the moon, at last.”
Just beautiful, Damien.
Thank you Dorinda. This morning I walked for two hours along the banks of the seine, beneath the sunshine and the still standing towers of Notre Dame. Suns rise and fall, buildings fall but beauty can still remain. I think this morning helped to add some of the beauty. Huge hugs to you my friend 😘🤗
I can only imagine how beautiful it was. Huge hugs to you, D! ❤
Lovely pic and photo!
Thank you so much Nathan. It was taken in Tunis a few years ago on a fleeting visit for work but it was worth it just to catch that light on the beach.
I hope you can draw the sound of the moon (we know she hums) 🙂 and hold it tight.
This is lovely, and your conversation with Jane above made me smile–both of you. It would be so much fun to have a cup of tea with both of you.
Would that be the best cup of tea chat ever 😘😘
It would be! ❤
The weight being lifted. And the light. (K)
☀️🤗