Never go Back; My Response to a Writing Challenge By Bill Holland AKA Billybuc: The Door to Nowhere
A Poem; Never Go Back!!
This poem was written in response to a writing challenge by Bill Holland, a.k.a., Billybuc, a published author and inspirational motivator on Hubpages. Bill's quest is to help fledgling writers learn to spread their wings and fly.
Although I've taken part in several HP challenges in the past, initially, I decided to pass on this one, but having read some of the exceptional work already submitted, I decided to give it a go.
The rules for this challenge as set by Bill are quite simple:
- Use the visual photo prompt provided, a picture depicting the Door to Nowhere.
- The challenge should begin with the sentence. " Was it really only yesterday."
For this challenge, I decided to write a poem.
This poem is about good love gone bad. Childhood sweethearts promises to love forever. He cheated, she left the neighbourhood, but returned many years later.
In the Autumn of her life, the fire still burns, she never found that special love again. Hoping to find closure, she returns to the place beneath the balcony where she witnessed her lover's indiscretion, and ran away so many years ago. However, the years were not kind to her faithless lover.
Will she show pity and stay, or will she fly away? I must add, this is pure fiction. I hope you enjoy the poem, your comments are always important to me, and will be much appreciated.
Never Go Back
Was it really only yesterday
We stole each moment and seized the day
You were the sun, the moon and the stars
Jupiter, Mars, the heavens were ours
'Twas forever love, I pledged to you
Midst kisses sweeter than honeydew
You said you would be forever true
Love is the light that always shines through
I was much too young to comprehend
Just how swiftly forever would end.
They said that pain would abate in time
But long I have waited, beyond my prime
Gone are the glory crown time embossed
Now silvery grey touched by winter frost
But deep in the soul, a fire rage
It may flicker, but never die with age
How fast those truant years have flown
Still, no other love my soul have known
Since the day you claimed it for your own
Here, in this place where your shame was sown
The Day Her World Stopped Turning
I saw you kissed her sweet ruby lips
Stroked them softly, with your fingertips
Fledgeling heart that never learnt to fly
Lay broken beneath a balcony high
She left you a sad and lonely man
Still, in the place where it all began
Where vile agent of corruption rules
The ghosts of those, lust played for fools.
As the ember fades in yonder sky
She turned to bid misery goodbye
A ragged spectre whom she once held dear
Stepped through the strange door that leads nowhere
Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away?
Spread Your Wings and Fly
They say, the first cut is the deepest
Do you still remember your first love?
© 2015 Jo Alexis-Hagues
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Comments
AUTHORHi Robin, please, come as often as you like. it's always a pleasure to see you. A natural teacher is probably the nicest thing anyone have said to me in a long time. Thank you so much for the generous comment and visit.
Blessings coming your way.
I think i visited this twice, but enjoyed it. You are a natural teacher; it comes with the profession.
- AUTHOR
Hi Robin, thank you so much for taking a look, much appreciated. Although I would love to believe that there is no such thing as fate or destiny and what we do with our lives is really up to us, I know that somethings are predestined and just can't be ignored. So glad you enjoyed this. Take care, my very best always.
- AUTHOR
Hi Shyron, it's lovely to see you! Friends like you make it tough to walk away from HP.
First love certainly occupies a special place in our hearts. I guess 'Love at 11' must come under the 'puppy love' variety, but just as painful. Still, a great song choice. :)
Thank you so much for stopping by, always a pleasure, my very best to you..
Some souls are meant to be, others not. Great use of imagery and the visual from the challenge.
This is beautiful Jo (tobusiness) you could add a youtube song call "Love at 11" that answers you question about remembering first love.
Voted-up, UABI and shared
Blessings and Hugs dear friend
- AUTHOR
Hi Patricia, what you do have is a gift for writing, I'm sure you can also write beautiful poetry. I must admit, I love writing poetry, good or not so good. :) So it means an awful lot to know that you enjoyed my poems.
I'm so sorry about you first love, it must have been devastating beyond belief to experience something so terrible so young, and to find out in such a way. Life can be so very cruel. Thank you for taking the time to read and for leaving this very personal comment. Blessings to you, always.
I am in awe of poets as I am not one ...I do not have that gift so fall into the words of others as I read and find answers or even more questions, at times, in poetry of others. These both were exquisite.
And to answer your question, I do remember it. I was a young girl at camp, 4H camp...and fell 'in love." We were inseparable the whole two weeks. And we wrote letters for the next 3 months as we did not live in the same town.
Sadly one morning I opened the paper to read he had been killed in a bus accident At that time young boys could drive the buses. I was crushed.
Angels are on the way to you today ps
- AUTHOR
Hi tillsontitan, a case of "there but for the grace of God."
Losing love can be tragic, but life does go on. We should be open to new possibilities.
Then again, it may well be that this was their destiny...too sad. :)
Thank you for stopping by and for the great comment, vote and share.
Always a pleasure, my best to you.
A great response to Bill's challenge. Even if we haven't lost a love, knowing love puts us in the frame of understanding. It certainly made me sad for both of them.
Voted up, awesome, and interesting.
- AUTHOR
Hi Jim, thanks for taking the time, much appreciated.
Yes, love is a powerful emotion, especially that very first journey into madness, but life goes on. :)
We never know what's waiting for us at the next corner. Best wishes to you.
- AUTHOR
Hi Kevin, lovely to see you, many thanks for the very charming comment, vote and share, much appreciated. You are very generous, I hope all is well, my best to you.
- AUTHOR
Hi Jamie, thanks for taking a look at this, and for the very kind comment, I think it could do with a little tightening up in places, but bless you for the positive comment. I hope all is well with, my best always.
Well rhymed with a great rhythm. The stories told went straight to my heart, well penned. Jamie
An excellent answer to the challenge. It is amazing how long the pain can last from a long lost love.
That seemed extremely angelic Jo. It had charm and grace and was also interesting. I voted it up and shared it.
Kevin
- AUTHOR
Oh Gypsy, thank you so very much, this means a lot. I'm so glad you like the poem.
Take care and my best to you.
- AUTHOR
Hello MsDora, many thanks for reading and for the lovely comment, unfortunnately, HP in their wisdom decided it is too promotional and unfeatured it, since the words to adds ratio appears to be in line with their NEW recommendation I'll simply republish it elsewhere. Rant over. It's always a pleasure to see you, my best always.
This was so lovely. Really enjoyed this.
Beautiful poetry, Jo. That last section is so touching. Touching that she remembers after so long. Great presentation!
- AUTHOR
Alicia, thanks for taking a look, much appreciated. My best to you.
This a sad story, but it makes a very interesting poem! Thank you for contributing to the challenge, Jo. I enjoyed reading your contribution.
- AUTHOR
Hi Devika, I do find these challenges difficult to resist, but they can be a great way to stretch ourselves and get away from the proverbial comfort zone. Thank you for stopping by, always a pleasure, my best to you.
- AUTHOR
Hello Prabjot Saini, thank you for taking the time to read, comment and vote, much appreciated.
Best wishes to you.
You greatly took on this challenge and shared it beautifully.
Beautiful poem........ Voted up.....
- AUTHOR
Hi Venkatachari, I do love taking part in these challenges, it's a good opportunity to practice my poetry writing, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for taking the time to read, comment and share, much appreciated. Take care and my best to you.
Awesome poetry, Jo Alexis! Deep from heart it flows. Very beautifully done.
Voted up and awesome. And sharing too.
- AUTHOR
Hi Kim, thank you very much for the terrific comment, I'm never really happy with my poems, so when creative and talented poets like yourself tell me my poem is brilliant, it really means a lot. I've been reading Yeats lately, something obviously rubbed off. ;) Always good to see you, I hope you're in good health, take care and best wishes always.
What a great response to the challenge. Love it! In reply to your question: Having gone to an all-girls' school, teachers' college was wonderful - all those boys! I think I had a crush on a different one nearly every week, and lots of dates - until I met the love of my life from another college, and that was it.
I love this poem and yes I do remember my first love. It nearly tore me apart, but looking back it was the best...I think. Voted up +++
"But long I have waited, beyond my prime
Gone, the glory black crown, now embossed
With silver grey, touched by winter frost."
Jo,
Reminiscent of Yeats...so beautiful, so beautifully presented
And yes, BRILLIANT!
Up and And Shared,
Kim
- AUTHOR
Frank, I'm just glad you took the time to read and comment. You're very much appreciated my friend. Enjoy your Sunday.
yes.. you did a bang up job.. I was surprised on how good it was is all..:) bless you
- AUTHOR
Frank, surprisingly good! Humm...:) Hope I didn't make you too sad. Thanks for taking a look, always a pleasure and much appreciated.
Have a great Sunday.
- AUTHOR
Hi Patricia, I've had my ups and downs, broke a few hearts and had mine broken, but I found my soulmate and realized that sometimes we have to live through the bad times to appreciate the good. After 27 incredible years, I know it was all meant to be, the good and the bad. First love is special, but there's so much more out there, I find it sad that some people are never able to move on. Glad you enjoyed the poem and many thanks for the comment, vote and share. Have a wonderful Sunday.
surprisingly good tobusiness, the fact the poems filled with sadness yet they were hauntingly beautiful... great share
Feeling the memory of a love that was not love at all I suppose.
Awesomely constructed...one love in my lifetime ...but wrong...but so thankfully I did remain bereft...
Voted up+++ and shared
- AUTHOR
Hi Jo, yes, love can be bitter sweet, we sometimes love well, but not always wisely. :) I'm so glad you enjoyed the poem, many thanks for the wonderful comment, vote and share, it means a lot. Have a great weeekend, my very best always
This was just amazingly rich with so much soul in every heart breaking word. It is a reminder, bitter sweet one. That those we think are the one and only, our first. Sometimes can be just the first to show us we deserve so much more! Excellent! Awesome, beautiful! Shared.
((((((( Jo ))))))))
- AUTHOR
Hi Theresa, this crazy little thing called love can make fools of the best of us. :)
You are one of the lucky ones, you got it right the very first time. :) Unfortunately some people seem to get stuck in a time warp. As always, thank you so much for the wonderful support and the generous share. Hope you're enjoying the weekend, my best to you and the family.
Jo, I am thrilled you changed your mind and participated in the challenge. You have covered it all in such a poignant love story. It amazes me how love can be so passionate and true one day, and then is gone in an instance or side-swiped by temptation. That yearning over a lifetime must truly be torturous!
Well done as always!
Up ++++ tweeting, pinning, g+ and sharing
- AUTHOR
Oh Shyron, why is it that something as beautiful as love, can result in so much pain? I'm so sorry for your loss, although it happened many years ago, something like this always leaves scars, and it must have been hell not knowing for so long. Wars take so much in so many ways. I'm looking forward to reading your submission, thank you for this personal comment and the share. My very best to you always.
- AUTHOR
Hi Ann, those of us lucky enough to fine that kind of love, may find it hard to understand why some people stop looking, or just keep waiting for that one perfect love. 'Case in point,' one of my colleague now in her fifties and haven't been in a relationship since she was in her late twenties.
Thank you so much for the read and generous comment. Take care and my very best to you.
Hauntingly beautiful Jo, how sad, but I can understand, my first love died in Vietnam, and I did not know until several years later, as I had not met his family. I have a tiny picture of he and I together.
I too will answer this challenge, after the completion of the Good Words Project.
Voted up, UABI and shared
- AUTHOR
Hi Ruby, I'm so glad you enjoyed this, I do love writing poems, and I know I should put more effort into it, so thank you for the encouragement.
I hope you're having a lovely weekend, my best to you.
Beautiful poem, Jo. Its sadness echoes down the years of loss and despair. Sadly, some remain so. Others manage to move on.
Lovely response to this challenge. As you say, it's created diverse writing from so many.
Hope all's well with you.
Ann
- AUTHOR
Sally, thank you for taking a look and for liking the poem, I just had to have a go.
Yes, this challenge certainly revealed some talented writers, yourself included. My best to you.
Jo, this is very beautiful. It has everything. love, hurt, deceit and yearning. I am thrilled to see this side of your writing. Tweeted.
- AUTHOR
Bill, I hate being on the outside looking in, while everyone is having so much fun. :) Thank you for this incredible challenge and the great comment, you know it means a lot. Have a wonderful weekend.
tobusiness
Loved your poem and am glad you decided to take the challenge. This project has sure produced some interesting and diverse writing. Well done.
Sally
Well I'm certainly glad you decided to take part, because this is sadly beautiful. What a timeless story you tell, Jo, and you tell it in such an achingly lovely way. I just love the creativity of my friends at HP. Well done...to borrow from the British....Brilliant!!!!
Thank you for taking part, Jo. We are all richer because of it.
bill
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