Thursday, March 19, 2009

Blog Chain: A Ballad for My Heart

Blog chain time, and this one really threw me for a loop! Jess started this round, and she wanted us to get in touch with our creative side. Her post set the bar so high, I haven't slept since I read the topic :) Kate did an absolutely phenomenal job before me, and Sandra, I'm sure, will knock our socks off next.

So, here are Jess's directions:

WRITE! I want a short story people. 100 words, 300 words, 500 words, 1,000 words - whatever you're comfortable with! The only requirement I have is that the theme of the story have something to do with HEARTS. Someone stealing someone else's heart. Someone pining away for true love. A thief of hearts... Go wild!!

Well, as I sat thinking about what to write, words started popping in my head. Now, I have just come off a month of poetry blog posts and I've been working on my non fiction book (centered around poetry) - so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that poetry is what came out for this topic. I decided to write a little ballad - it is what it is and I make no excuses (but I do apologize should your eyes start to bleed as you read it) ;-)

A Ballad for My Heart


You’ve broken more than I can count
And oft’ I’ve wished you dead.
You never heed the pleas I shout
Or care for tears I’ve shed.

Betray me, break me, traitor mine,
How treacherous indeed.
More pity I’m forever thine,
Entwined within your greed.

For you will always crave the feel
Of something I can’t find.
Despite your claims, there’s no ideal
And yet I search, though blind.

You torture, tease, and torment me
No matter how I pray.
When will you stop and set me free,
When under dust I lay?

I know, you beat once, happily,
But now you must forget.
For he for whom you beg and plea
Has left us bereft.

In fact, I speak to empty space.
There’s nothing left to hear.
The tears of death course down my face,
He’s stolen you I fear.

He left me, then you left as well,
A double sword to take.
Alone inside an empty hell;
In hollowness I ache.

They tell me someday you’ll return;
I doubt, but hope lives too.
For him I will forever burn,
I cannot yearn for you.

It wasn’t he that hurt me so,
That left me scarred and bruised.
To bleed so painful, die so slow,
So wasted, tired and used.

Without you, he could strike no blow,
Without you, when he fled,
I would have still been whole I know;
Instead I’m merely dead.

I ask you once, please don’t return,
I beg of you, please see!
If I can heal, if I can learn,
You must be dead to me.

Do not return, don’t ever beat,
I rip you piece and part.
Disowned, disloyal, clever cheat,
My gentle traitor heart.

11 comments:

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Very impressive!

Anonymous said...

W.O.W....

It is a truly beautiful poem. I loved it!!!

Kathryn Hupp-Harris said...

That's beautiful.


This stanza is my favorite: Without you, he could strike no blow,
Without you, when he fled,
I would have still been whole I know;
Instead I’m merely dead.

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

Oooh, I loved the ending. Wow, poetry. I am impressed.

Elana Johnson said...

I have no words for the awesomeness of this. And I don't even like poetry. But you held me captive. Phenomenal job! :)

Annie Louden said...

Dude. That was pretty intense.
After reading the ending, I read it again, and it was even better!

I wonder if there will be any happy heart stories in the blog chain. But maybe with the Stephen Crane poem, that's not going to happen.

Michelle McLean said...

Thanks for all the comments! :)

Annie- go to Sandra's blog...she posted after me. Her post was hilarious :D

TerriRainer said...

That is impressive, and I seriously do not like poetry.

I can also say with complete honesty, that my eyes did not shed even the smallest drop of blood.

That was really good (I so could never do that myself)...for a POEM! LOL

:) Terri

Mary Lindsey / Marissa Clarke said...

Hooray! A ballad. Way to go you out of the box thinker, you. :)

H. L. Dyer said...

I love you and your love of verse. =)

Great post, Michelle!

Anonymous said...

Amazing, Michelle...WOW!

Abi