Sonnet On the Brink of Suicide

[Pendragon]

The gun feels cool against my hand,
Many thoughts race through my head.
With an explosive bark, my world will end—
They will find me cold and dead.
Where all this began, I just don’t know—
But pain gives way to bleak despair;
When despair takes hold it grows and grows
Until you feel no one even cares.
I watch as the minutes trickle down
On the small wall-clock across the room.
I can almost hear my pulses pound
As my heart gives in to the coming doom.
The muzzle beckons, dark and deep—
But—I have promises to keep…

D.L. Harris
© 3/24/96

Sometimes the old feelings still come around...

[lucidnightmares]

very dark, and very wonderful.
great job capturing ones almost final moments.

these last few lines are penetrating, i wonder if i`ll ever forget them, i hope not


"I can almost hear my pulses pound
As my heart gives in to the coming doom.
The muzzle beckons, dark and deep—
But—I have promises to keep..."

my favorite sonnet i can easily say::thumbs_up

[PrinceMyshkin]

I think I would feel this more sharply if I believed in - or at least had some notion of - those promises that deter the persona from completing the auto da fe

[dibyendra]

The gun feels cool against my hand,
Many thoughts race through my head.
With an explosive bark, my world will end—
They will find me cold and dead.
Where all this began, I just don’t know—
But pain gives way to bleak despair;
When despair takes hold it grows and grows
Until you feel no one even cares.
I watch as the minutes trickle down
On the small wall-clock across the room.
I can almost hear my pulses pound
As my heart gives in to the coming doom.
The muzzle beckons, dark and deep—
But—I have promises to keep…

D.L. Harris
© 3/24/96

Sometimes the old feelings still come around...


Very heartfelt poem and moving as well. The despair, pain, and loneliness sometimes bring these kind of feelings. You've indeed portrayed your feelings very well. :thumbs_up

[motherhubbard]

first of all I was glad to see the date on this was long past. I was thinking it time to change some meds!

at the end I wanted to say "and miles to go before I sleep"

[kiz_paws]

This sonnet was darkly beautiful; made me think that there is no grey in the matter of To Be Or Not To Be. I enjoyed the sonnet very much, thanks! :)

[Pendragon]

I think I would feel this more sharply if I believed in - or at least had some notion of - those promises that deter the persona from completing the auto da feMarriage vows. Promises to raise three children who didn't ask to be born. A promise not to quit no matter how hard life gets. I have promises which I have kept... :)

[Virgil]

Goodness Pen, this one had me on the edge of my seat. Very powerful. I gasped on the ending. This was so good that I didn't even sense the sonnet form and had to look back to see that it was. Amazing how the " cold and dead" phrase in line four echoes the "dark and deep" phrase in line 13. And lots of great alliteration: pain, pulses pound, promises; dead, despair, dark, deep, doom. One of your best Pen!

[symphony]

I have promises to keep…
Ah, dont we all, dont we all...


Sometimes the old feelings still come around...
Who can bar despair? I shall just hope and pray, Pen, so the last feeling of your honest attachment to those promises keep coming back with the old despairs.

[marvel]

interesting and somber. The last lines remind me of Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep

[Jerrybaldy]

I think I would feel this more sharply if I believed in - or at least had some notion of - those promises that deter the persona from completing the auto da fe

Prince. You outlived Leonard you old fox. Happy to hear anything from you you great man

[Jerrybaldy]

Although I'm biased I agree with Prince. Never felt you meant it.