Nat..sometimes going on is all you have.
You have strength my friend. God's speed.

Yes, I know. From a male perspective that is.

JD, it's all we can do.

Trig, the ghost of He?

I can identify with this, though I wish I couldn't.

"Maybe you will go on pretending,

fooling them (and yourself) into thinking you have something left to take"

The only thing worse than fooling yourself is when you can't anymore.

Natalie,
This is beautiful and it resonates with me on some on level. Thanks for writing it and sharing it. Much love to you.

Powerful. Painful. But it is okay. Tomorrow is another chance...

Nana, thats as true a statement as I've ever heard. Is it better to be honest with yourself if it's painful, or live in the illusion which is comfortable?

WAH Thanks for taking the time to read.

Jill, much love right back to you.

Natalie, tomorrow really IS another chance. Thank you.

Natalie,
This was beautiful, vulnerable, and filled with lovely distilled emotion. Thank you.

A friend of mine used to say we’re like 50 gallon metal containers. Sometimes people come looking for the expected contents and all we can hear is the echo of an empty vessel.

Rated and appreciated.

You have a wonderful way of capturing this feeling.

I love this.
And what Dennis said.

There's an admirable honesty in this, though I find myself hoping it's not like this for you every day.

Dennis, I love that. My echo speaks to me.

Kirsty, thank you :)

Spotted, Dennis hit the nail right on the head.

Ahmed, no. The poem is a product of my mood more than my life and an attempt to capture the intangible.

PM female thing. Not thongs.
Natalie Not Pedantic knows.
No cheat at a `Candy Land.
tease. Floss before kissing.
I'm just being a `schmuck.
But, I still love to`smooch.
I never got my R & R. Ugh.

Natalie, I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but, "Yes", I absolutely do know exactly of what you speak.
When one does it alone, without the support, without the strength from the one who should be there , to bear what you can't when you have no more to give, to give you respite for only a moment, to lift your spirits instead of dragging you down. Yes, I have been there. What shall you do? Only you can decide for yourself and survive.
"The ravaging of self is better than being alone", until the time is right, dear one.
Obviously it hit home with me! this is the sign of great poetry, I think.
Rated

A familiar mood, beautifully expressed Natalie.

Arthur, PMing you female things stat.

Rainee, wouldn't it be wonderful to soar instead of drag? I loved your comment - surviving is what we do.

Ablonde, thank you. By the way, I found the movie, bought it and am just waiting for it to be delivered. I'll let you know.

This is a little more raw than your usual style Natalie. I like it.

Natalie,

You keep knocking them out of the park. This is gorgeous. Gorgeous.

The good parts are all still here and sometimes, a new beginning starts with putting one foot in front of the other...although I know that feeling too...there is so much more.

Drew, I needed to get this done and out...raw is good right now. Later, who knows?

Sparking, thank you so much.

Leonde, I'm feeling a little 'pulled in all directions'. It'll pass though. Thank you.

I believe most people have been there. I know I have. It's a lot like tying your stomach up in knots!

No, Nat, because there's no bottom here to this, or you.

So I have to say no, Nat - it doesn't end.

I know what you mean, but.

:-( **tears**

Beautiful.

Rated.

I don't know, I kind of like being alone. I can keep stranger hours that way.

I know this feeling.

This is a beautiful piece and I understand that feeling.
Thank you for sharing.

Wishing you strength, and letting you know what a powerful poem this is. R

Beautiful, Natalie.

Nat,
They are vampires.
Which explains all the vampire stuff on tv and the movies.

That burden of putting one foot in front of another
pays off, though. Every act of will,
every movement,
produces a
brand new

universe. Full of infinite potential.

Full of vampires, too, alas.

an eloquent description of what so many endure...universal theme beautifully captured

I too can relate to this but wish I couldn't. You capture it ways I never could explain it. Great entry.

Yes, I DO know that feeling. Very nice.

This line really struck me:

"The ravaging of your self is better than being / alone."

Yep. Sometimes it feels that way. Really, really strong work, Natalie.

you've made lemonade out of some lemons...beautifully crafted work and sorrow laid bare.

Scanner, it's exactly like that.

Kim, it all ends somewhere.

Tink *you're* beautiful.

Jim (I'm sticking with that to keep up with the name changes), I actually love my alone time, because it's so rare. It's a different kind than what I meant by the poem.

Brian, thank you.

ladyJed, I'm sorry you know this feeling too. Here's to better times for us all.

Rita, great to see you here.

Janie, I need to get that book. I'll check right after this to see where I can get it. I hope to spend some time in Malaysia with my mother later on in the year - hopefully my pitcher will fill. And yes - PLEASE come do my laundry :P

Thank you, Amanda.

Jim, I'll keep pushing - I love the analogy.

Lady Dove - thank you for reading.

Geraint, I think we all relate to it on some level, though I too wish I couldn't.

J, I hope you don't feel it too often. You deserve better.

Owl, love - I stopped writing it there because that line seemed to sum it up. It also surprised me when it came pouring out.

Mypsyche, I love lemonade :)

"...the burden of putting one foot in front of the other." Sounds so simple, yet can sometimes be very difficult to accomplish (and not just because I'm a klutz). Nice work here.

"To steal whatever remnants lay there, stagnating," is exquisite. I really enjoyed this.

Oh boy. I know this. You expressed it beautifully, Natalie.

Natalie - this is stunning, so raw, so real.
Rated.

Naked and real, well said.
Rated.

This is good.

This is very sad, but I like it - a lot. Thank you.

I can relate, but I couldn't have put it so well. Somehow you get replenished, but I don't know how it's done. Manna from heaven?

You are a blazing light. Take good care.

Honesty.. why is it our biggest fear sometimes?
This is well written. I feel compelled. Thank you. Rated.

"You know that feeling, the one where it seems like they're reaching into your soul to steal whatever remnants lay there stagnating. It's never ending."

The people at the Division of Motor Vehicles?

Natalie:
Maxine Hong Kingston has written:
"To get at your deepest feelings, go into the dark of forgotten things and then write the unspeakable."
I've been there...Keep on keepin' on..

Excellent.
Exact mood that have not heard described before. Rated!

More of these, please.

honest & raw...yum!

**tears**

I know, oh how I know...

*wanders off in thoughts of Frank Gifford*

This reminds me of a piece I wrote about letting the balls drop - when there's nothing left to give and you just stop the eternal fucking juggling act for others. Even at the risk of being alone.

I hear you.

Amazing Natalie..I would be posting something on this topic soon..it has touched me ..and made me revisit the past..!!