The world began to tilt
Sackcloth covered an aching heart
Dust and ash
Dust and ash
Memories ripped me apart
A winter coat, long forgotten
A rack of greying garments
Sully and soot
Sully and soot
Worn, lost, and forgotten moments
Clattering to the ground, a chink
The trinket fell from holiness
Jingle and rattle
Jingle and rattle
Disturbed from its loneliness
A matchbox frayed and aged
At my feet, holding the spotlight
Look and see
Look and see
Came the call in moonlight
I had no memory of when or why
It was tucked away and kept
Patient and waiting
Patient and waiting
When it was opened, I wept
The jingle was a key that rattled
One I knew well many years ago
Brass and cold
Brass and cold
A gold hue clashing against the carpet’s phthalo
Beneath this key lay an old train ticket
A faded photograph behind the fare
Gasp and tear
Gasp and tear
Whatever I was seeking fell away without a care
In the now stagnant air, my chest ached
Every swallow bitter and lemon-sour
Grief and sorrow
Grief and sorrow
I no longer perceived the hour
I held you in my hand, smiling back at me
We were so young and naive back then
Happy and carefree
Happy and carefree
Thoughts and images grave and ashen
You were the best of men
True friend to all who knew you
Humble and true
Humble and true
Caring and honest-through and through
I can’t tell you how deeply your loss
Bore into my heart and marrow
Whispers and sundering
Whispers and sundering
The space you held in my heart will lie empty and fallow
You will never be forgotten
Your life will always be treasured in mine
Cherished and protected
Cherished and protected
I’ll carry your memories to the end of my time
(Published on Patreon, 2026)
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A Torn Heart ©2026 Spilled Ink. All rights reserved.
The repetition is stunning. This is beautiful and melancholy.
Beautiful and heartfelt work