Toska
Take my heart while it’s still beating
I’ll place it with my shaking hand
Into your palms, still warm, still wet
(Still shivering) It can be your brand
Mine is your name inscribed on my mind, it's grand,
this signature.
My eyes begin to fill with tears
That make their way down to my heart.
It is raining in my lungs,
As I begin to fall apart
From gentle touches that paint me like fine art
in my bedroom.
I weep for the lonely world
That I have long since left behind
But still with me is my love
My body, soul, and reckless mind:
The same mind that betrays me when told I’m kind,
lies to me.
And so when I begin to cry
Give me a moment to believe
That I am still good when I die,
That even when I can’t relieve
The sheer pain and burning agony– I heave
my stomach’s contents.
The real villain’s the one who feels
And hurts in the name of glory.
The one who empathises
With the good the bad and gory.
Still inflicts pain– Alas, in my own story,
I’m the villain.
Oft my words fall flat on paper.
A question I’m too scared to ask
Remains unspoken, unwritten;
The face I wear under the mask
Is for you and you alone, because my task
is to be yours.
Leaving left me in the bathtub
Saltwater drying on my cheeks
Lines of evidence of sorrow
Forking, dripping, narrow streaks.
Anguish: the new teen angst– havoc: the new bleak
so go easy on me.
What should have been harmless crushes
Became falling hard enough
To topple from the rooftop
Of a burning building– scuff
Both of my knees, I’m bleeding– rough
and so in love.
This is not a fall from grace
It's walking into the pit
Of eternal damnation
With eyes wide open– commit
A loving suicide, embrace me, admit
that I’m better gone.
My feet plant firmly on the steps
As I walk to’rd the abyss
There is no evidence of doubt
No hesitation to be missed
As I move closer to my doom, the soft kiss
of death engulfs me.
Points:
Time spent:
IP address:
Canary word: Present
Possible AI signals:
Original Text:
Are you sure you want to delete this comment? This cannot be undone.
Mark this comment as a review? Points will be awarded to the poster.
Your comment was posted, but it wasn’t long enough to count as a review. Reviews need about four complete sentences (at least 250 characters). Try writing another review that explains your thoughts in more detail — the author will appreciate it, and you’ll earn points for it.
Your poem 'Toska' is a poignant, raw and emotional expression of heartbreak and encapsulates the feeling of being in love with someone who is not reciprocating the feelings. I found myself relating to this poem a lot, which heightened my appreciation and enjoyment of reading it.
The pain is described in vivid detail, as the narrator or the poem weeps for their lost world and the loneliness that must still persist. There is a lot of deep, painful imagery in your poem and I can only hope that your heart heals soon, if this is a true experience for you also.
Your poem is a complex and deeply emotional piece that deals with the sad themes of love, self-doubt, and death. The narrator offering their heart, combined with their fear and emotional turmoil, makes for a very powerful and impactful read.
Hey there! This isn't a full review but I do have some thoughts to offer that will hopefully help!
Wow, what an opening to this piece! This has such a beautifully crafted rhythm and the imagery here is just so strong and powerful I do believe the 'It' in the last line should have a lower case i.
I get the structure of the poem you are trying to create, but this threw the rhythm off quite a bit for me, especially how short the second line it. But i do like the imagery you've described.
I love the idea of grappling with being both the victim and the villain of your own story.
This part was especially indicative of that idea and i think captures it very poetically.
One constructive criticism of the poem is that it could benefit from a clearer structure. I'm not sure if maybe the format changed when you pasted the poem into YWS. The poem flows really smoothly, but there is no clear stanza break, making it difficult to distinguish between different sections.
In conclusion, i find "Toska" to be an extremely moving and evocative poem! <3
Keep writing!