Jet Black Heart

Published on by Tosha Michelle

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By the time you awake,
I’ll be gone.
I cleaned the fireplace,
but left ash everywhere.
I used your latest copy
of the newspaper
to mop the floor.
I threw away the stale bread,
and lukewarm coffee.
If you stumble across
what we had, or what we lost,
give the past my regards.
I’m still searching for my
book on letting go. If you
find it, mail it to my new
address. For now I’m
casting what could have
been in the recycling bin,
and leaving muddy footprints
on my way out.
The door is now closed
but not locked.

-Tosha Michelle

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79 thoughts on “Jet Black Heart”

  1. “I cleaned the fireplace, but left ash everywhere.” This line is powerful and telling. A place of controlled combustion now dispersed and not controlled, like emotions set free. Loved it, Tosha!

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  16. I sense such anger and disappointment in this poem. These ashes and fingerprints being left all over the ex-lovers life for spite so he won’t forget. And the speaker is continuing trying to get the ex out of her system but through her and her thoughts he leaves marks in her life to. The end line surprised me. I would’ve thought the door would be shut tight, but the speaker must care a great deal for this person because she pointedly says the door isn’t “locked.” Powerful stuff 🙂

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      1. lol. Maybe this poem is real life, from experience? We learn from experience, even if we were idiots at the time. I guess she should have kept the door locked? Happy you liked the comment.

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Ooo, and I do love that wickedly wonderful last line–“but not locked,” a perfect ending that opens to all kinds of possibilities! Great title too, Tosha. Sorry I haven’t been around lately. I’m writing (as per my usual) and took a trip to the East coast to visit relatives. Back home, hopefully back in the saddle. 🙂

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    1. How rude of you! Ha. I hope you had a wonderful trip and the writing is going well. I’m a bit under the weather tonight and losing steam fast. Off to bed soon. Thank you for reading and commenting xx

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  26. I really enjoyed all these great Catty one liners. There like zingers.
    I did this song years ago, some of the lyrics
    “Her eyes are as blue as she is cold, she’d throw me up against wall.
    Heard her husband is miserable,
    well, I guess you are what you eat,
    I guess I have said nothing at all.
    Her eyes are as blue as she is cold,”
    Your words are here are a lot better than mine.
    Just love this one.

    Liked by 1 person

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  27. I apologize for being late…and I’ve been here before. So I’ll say, while the pain I feel in this reaches me….your eloquent way of expressing it always leaves me hopeful.
    Oh and…
    You’re penciling awesome, My Beautiful Friend. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

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