Grief and Me
I feel grief in waves
Ebbing and flowing, looking
for the tiniest crack.
I construct a dam
Keeps me from the dark deluge.
I clamber away.
Photographs
A time capsule – scroll,
Turn. And you are taken to the past.
Smiling faces gaze
Frozen for posterity
A casket of illusions
Ikigai
Some
people,
altruistic
kind, love to see
you distressed. High on
empathy, it gives them
a chance to play the hero.
Makes them feel good; it distresses
them when you save yourself. It’s hard to
carry on without a sense of purpose.
Writing and Us
You said writing had
swallowed me. Would you, rather,
sorrow engulf me?
Had I cried to you,
you would have found me tiresome
Now I write and smile
And yet you complain
What is it you want from me?
Help me understand.
Grateful for the poetry
I had been comatose. You woke me up.
Only a stab in the heart
could have done it. Thank you!
Poetry oozed from the gash. I rejoiced.
But I cannot forgive you.
The scar – a reminder.
~~~
Smitha Vishwanath’s poetry has been published in several international e-zines. Her debut novel, Coming Home, published in March 2023, has received excellent reviews. She has been selected Author of the Month 2022, 2023, and 2024. Smitha was awarded the Reuel International Prize for poetry in 2023, and her novel was awarded the Certificate of Excellence by the Asian Literary Society in 2024. She was first featured here in 2020.
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I Write Her 
These poems are all emotion filled and vivid.
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Thank you, Robbie, for reading them. I’m happy to know what you felt about the poems.
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💗
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Thank you, Susi, for publishing these poems. I’m sorry I just saw it and did not reply earlier. I was in Bangladesh at the time and it was going through difficult times.
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You are so very welcome, Smitha! No worries, glad your difficult times are in the past now. Will you be joining in again this year?
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I’d love to, Susi. By when do I need to submit?
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The cut 0ff is Dec 31st, however, if the 52 required submissions are sent in, I will close this cycle. Currently, I’ve received about 60% of what I need for next year’s features. So, you decide when it’s most appropriate to submit.
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Sure, Susi. Thank you for letting me know
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You’re welcome!
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Love the poems!
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Thank you, Belladonna. I’m delighted to know you loved them.
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Beautiful! Love the last poem. <3
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Thank you so much, Layla❤️
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Smithia writes beautiful poetry, I can feel the pain and anguish of her words. ❌️🌹❤️
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Thank you, Carolyn, for appreciating the poems. Your comment is encouraging. I regret the delay in response. Xxx
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Samitha is a very good writer and poet.
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Thank you so much, Sadje, for being so supportive.
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You’re very welcome my friend
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