navwin » Archives » Dark Poetry #3 » The boy who jumped
Dark Poetry #3
Post A Reply Post New Topic The boy who jumped Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
Midnitesun
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647
Gaia

0 posted 2001-08-13 12:42 PM


She stares reluctantly into the mirror,
And a face etched with guilt stares back.
Years of believing she was somehow to blame
For the boy who jumped through the window pane.
Unable to accept failure or defeat,
Unable to accept love, yet unable to retreat
From the clutches of his own demons,
And his failure to become Superman,
And the failure to live up to his own lies,
From failed dreams and hopes
That just wouldn't fly.
The only solution this young man found
Was to die.
From the fourth floor of Sierra North, he jumped
To his final destination, the concrete below.
His final cry was nearly a silent goodbye,
Witnessed only by the nesting sparrow nearby.
And of course, everyone had to ask 'Why?,
No answers make sense,
Self-exile was the only defense
For the final goodbye from a lost Superman, who
In the blink of an eye, jumped into the sky.
And the shadowy figure in the mirror
Still feels the pain, still hears the cry
Of the young man who wouldn't reach out,
Of the young man who chose to die
When his dreams would not fly.
And still, she wonders why.
And still, no answer makes sense.

© Copyright 2001 Kathleen Kacy Stafford - All Rights Reserved
Kaos
Member
since 2001-08-02
Posts 317
between space and time
1 posted 2001-08-13 02:11 AM


no critiques... just a comment on how sad this piece was.  It was an excellent poem...and i feel the boy that jumped...been there be4...a poem that almost brought me to tears...i wanna say thanx for the emotions...i haven't read anything this moving in a long time...

" How can i feel if i can't breathe...?"
- Godsmack

Midnitesun
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647
Gaia
2 posted 2001-08-14 04:26 AM


Thank you for reading, and for your sensitve heartfelt reply. It took years to write about this tragedy. I barely knew the young man in the story, but the loss was still overwhelming. If posting this should make even one soul think twice before ending their life, then I've accomplished two things..a catharsis for me, and a rescue for another.

miscellanea
Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060
OH
3 posted 2004-09-29 04:42 PM


Midnitesun,
  I don't have words to express how meaningful this is to me.  Thank you for directing me here after you read mine about the lady on the bridge.  We felt so helpless;
a tragedy...Thank you, again.
         Sincerly, cathy

Midnitesun
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647
Gaia
4 posted 2004-09-29 04:53 PM


IN the end, we are left feeling helpless, but not always hopeless. I originally posted this years ago on another site, and the write was instrumental in nudging two young people to seek professional help. A year later, one wrote me a wonderful thank you letter for 'saving her life' and said she never realized what a selfish act suicide is, how she would have hurt the ones she loved, who loved her. Sometimes, you never know the impact on others of what you write. I never heard back from the second one, but kept my fingers crossed.
Hopefully, you can take some comfort in knowing you at least recognized that something was amiss.

Post A Reply Post New Topic ⇧ top of page ⇧ Go to Previous / Newer Topic Back to Topic List Go to Next / Older Topic
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.
navwin » Archives » Dark Poetry #3 » The boy who jumped

Passions in Poetry | pipTalk Home Page | Main Poetry Forums | 100 Best Poems

How to Join | Member's Area / Help | Private Library | Search | Contact Us | Login
Discussion | Tech Talk | Archives | Sanctuary