Swift-like the way you broke my heart,
or like the way the kids grew up
the way you could down a pint, and I-a half,
or drain to the dregs a stained teacup.
Swift-like our lives which float on by
contrails in ever-changing sky.
© Experimentsinfiction 2021, All Rights Reserved
Written for dVerse
Tonight Sarah is hosting, and has asked us to use the word ‘swift’ in our 44-word poem. I’ve had a very busy day celebrating International Women’s Day, but I couldn’t resist a trip to the bar before bed! Happy #IWD2021 everyone!
Sometimes things passes too swiftly to even grasp…
I love the expression in this perfectly short piece! Swiftness: you have captured it beautifully.
Thank you Jaya: it was all I had left after my poetry marathon!
Fantastic quadrille. I went back to reread it, and I can’t pick which line I like the best, there’s just so much in each one.
Thank you Carol for your kind compliment!
Excellent stuff.🙂
Swift as Jonathan on his Lilliputian travels.
Thanks Hobbo! I am in esteemed company with Swift 🙂
Indeed you are!
So well-written, Ingrid. Life passes so quickly sometimes.
Thank you Merril, I am just riding the rollercoaster!
I really like how you set this up in two stanzas, one with the micro and one with the macro. Excellent poem, Ingrid, and Happy International Women’s Day to you.
I didn’t even realise I’d done that till you pointed it out Lisa, thank you! Sometimes I write better when I think less.
Groovy 🙂
my kids have grown up. why does this break our hearts when we should rejoice in their being.
I love watching them grow, but I sure will miss them when they go!
Bravo an out of the box response
Happy Monday
Much💜love
Thank you Gillena! ❤️
Oh so true. Today is my grandson’s 28th birthday …. when he was born only yesterday!!! Hard to believe he has a child of his own now. Time is mercilessly swift indeed!
How does this happen? Blink and you miss it!
Awesome photo to accompany even more awesome verse, Ingrid. Revelatory work. Well done
Thanks Ron. I can’t take credit for the photo but the words are mine.
Your closing stanza is perfect. The details of life certainly can be fleeting.
Indeed they can. Thanks Ken!
Ingrid, Beautifully written and relatable poem. <3 Being tired and overworked doesn't extinguish your creative spark!
All the best!
Thank you so much Cheryl 🥰 best wishes to you!
Swift were you in delivery of this quadrille so efficiently and relatable Ingrid! !
Time flies! 🥰
Indeed it does – at least I don’t hear the bell ringing just yet 😅 thanks Cindy 🥰
That’s a good thing and always remember; It ain’t over until the fat lady signs! 🤗🤣🌷
I like your take on this prompt. Beautiful words. Well written quadrille.
Thank you so much 😊
wow – that’s poignant and powerful, Ingrid
Thanks David!
Swift time eludes us as life passes by…cheers, Ingrid, on International Women’s Day!
Thank you Lynn, and cheers to you!
A sad set of verses for anyone to have to have lived through. Your descriptions are really great! Love the poem.
Well, it’s not all sad. Let’s call it bittersweet!
I am glad for your perspective on it! Wonderful.
This resonates with me. Sometimes I wonder where the years went.
I especially like your ending lines,
Swift-like our lives which float on by
contrails in ever-changing sky.
Thanks Ali! I wonder where so many things went but I need to remember to focus on what I have right now.
The present is always the most powerful place to be.
Thank you for a beautiful poem.
Your words bring my feelings right to the surface.
Thank you, that means a lot to me.
I love your quadrille, Ingrid, the way condenses all emotion into 44 words with a delicate punch of broken heart, empty nest, and those ‘contrails in ever-changing sky’.A powerful reminder that everything is ephemeral.
Thank you Kim, it was an evocative prompt.
This is lovely. Every bit relatable.
Thanks Misky!
What a beautiful poem Ingrid. You touched my heart.
xoxoxo
Thank you so much – I aim to do this with my poetry so this means a lot 🙏
It’s really an impressive piece, Ingrid.
xoxo
Great imagery and metaphor. Life is full of changing skies! 💨
So it is Tricia, thanks!
Brava, Ingrid!!
Thank you Helen 🙏
Gone in a flash. Life seems that way doesn’t it? Especially after this past year where we were all in a holding pattern. 😕 Very nice Ingrid
Thank you – this comment has come through anonymously but I do appreciate it!
Just like bam! The swift bat of our lives. Swing or not, there’s brevity for sure. Such a lovely poem. One of my favorites for this assignment.
Thank you K.!
life in just 44 words … that’s swift but also accurate!
Thanks Kate!
always a pleasure!
Those little things that encompass a life. Gone in an instant. (K)
Lovely! It does go by too swiftly.