I sent this card out of devilment
blank other than a short greeting
and the name by which you knew me
scrawled in imperial blue ink 

the missive is fairly fathomable
a parting summary for periwinkle eyes that tease
deciphering code, pulling out the symbolic
after all blue is the missing colour
no longer deep down indigo miasma
of separation - more the misty insubstantia
of separate tables* 

heated til molten - what a cliché
yet delicate as powder blue glass
and included there is the unspoken other
hovering like an opalescent spectre
though once the craquelure showed through
we'd evidently all shrunk and moved away 

but do not read too deeply into this
I will never again cut my wrists for you

32 thoughts on “Devilment”

1. This is so good, Laura, and the image is quite sublime.

   1. I trust your feedback so thank you for this Tish p.s have a real penchant for blue glass ❤

      1. Was wondering if you’d ever thought of compiling one of those lovely photo books you can make with online architecture. Poems and images. It would be very beautiful. And some sites will sell them on a print on demand basis.

         1. Mind reader – have been thinking of putting a few together in a Blurb book or some such and really appreciate your encouragement Tish

            1. Go for it! Definitely.

2. Whew. That last line is a stunner.
   And I love this:
   “delicate as powder blue glass
   and included there is the unspoken other”

   Those words just adore each other, all secured together like that. Just a stunning couple of lines. Well done.

   1. oh what a great comment – the idea that words like each other enough to stick together so well 🙂

3. Great quote, and your poem did it justice.

   1. thank you Sue though the quote was more epilogue than prologue so should maybe have printed it last

4. Was not expecting that last stanza, but the unexpectedness is what gives it power and brings us full circle to the reason for the short missive in the first place. Very nice.

   1. thank you Linda – dare I say that line came at last out of the blue

5. Wow! That last line just screams – take this!!! Excellent and I am glad for that last line. Bravery indeed.

   1. something like – don’t read let your ego read desperate acts into the blue glass!

      1. Yes. Exactly.

6. That last line gob-smacked me and I say “You go, girl.” Quite powerful.

   1. not with a whimper but a bang!

7. It sounds like a good way to be done there. An anonymous card, a blue note. Thanks,

   1. past the ending – a note out of the blue!

8. The last two lines were unexpected. I love all the shades of blue Laura.

   1. thank you Grace – tried to make the blue shades just slip in almost unannounced. Was thinking of how to rhyme the end but decided has a sharper edge without!

9. Wow! Powerful! great ending.

   1. a positive declaration!

10. Such strong parting lines – i could hear the scratch of the pen..perhaps like a blade on skin..the cracking of scars and parchment.. we hope always one time only for the latter…many times more the former…i love the sprinkles of colour – periwinkle – imperial – a quiet kind of devilment..which we always find the best

    1. Love how your comment is sprinkled with observations 🙂

11. Beautiful! Loved “periwinkle eyes that tease/deciphering code”

    1. Many thanks Bryan – aimed for the almost double entendre of winkle in periwinkle to lead into following line

12. Love the blues in this, the colors and the mood. Funny how such a soothing shade is given to name such a melancholy feeling! Such a good poem, Laura!

    1. Agree Walter blue is calm colour – too much I suppose could get me down though -many thanks for your comment

13. “…hovering like an opalescent spectre…” Wow, what a line! And the last line totally shocked me. When you get feelings like that out of your reader, you know you’ve written well!

    1. Heartening words Lillian – many thanks

14. Yes – brilliant, beautiful and powerful.

    1. thank you for those 3 wonderful words

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