"If hope could be anything visible, it would be like that: binding, fleeting."

"I've always thought we are so alike suns -fated to fall by dusk, yet so unalike for I know we aren't meant to rise."

"Somehow, I managed to blow out candles ablaze this year - too small to be standing still - half-melted, half-wished upon."

^^^^ I wish to be everything you are when it comes to writing....INCREDIBLE......

Can't really comment. I can tell its personal...just know this is mind blowing poetry. You're beautiful. And I adore your poetry! <3

Any poem from the heart is great, and yhis piece is AWESOME:)
Amazing job Xanthe..

I wish I had a vote left.Awesome piece.

Gosh...I hope I don't make you sad with my interpretation especially if it's totally worng so...forgive me in advance if it is...

I see this as your grandparents who are now in their twilight years and not able to to the things you loved to do with them. Now they just sit and watch TV and...you find that hard to accept?

I could break this one down but....if my interpratation is correct I really don't want to. I was never lucky enough to meet any of my grandpartents (WWII) saw to that but....my parents were very full on with my own children and...although they have passed away themselves now...my kids have very happy meories of them and...now that I'm a grandparent myself.....I do still try to keep that alive...I play with them...draw with them...in general, I just encourage them to be the little people they are.

Sorry if this is totally wrong...just my thoughts...

I feel that there are many interpretations possible for this piece of writing and that only you will know its true meaning.

But, in saying that, I feel strongly as though it has something to do with aging and death. The candle aspect towards the end allows the reader to infer that the writer of this piece is celebrating a birthday, though under unusual or sorrowful circumstances. The candles 'half-melthed, half-wished upon' -> to me gives the impression of a great sorrow perhaps a household which cannot afford new candles, cannot afford much and therefore many things are reused or perhaps that the inhabitants are grown up so much that the candles are no longer what they were when first purchased, i.e. the children have grown or an old person has lived life - though with this last part, you wrote a note above the piece that suggested this poem was about YOU.

Death is another scenario, as death always brings such sorrow, such deep insight and can be imagined within the stanzas concerning 'faces' - faces of people at a funeral, faces perhaps faceless because we may not know them personally, but know they have sacrificed themselves - I took note of the date this piece was written, Remembrance Day - perhaps these faces are those of soldiers, and hence the idea of age... it was years ago now, though the grief still holds us captive on this annual date. This scenario can also be seen in the segment of 'wept for grief not my own' -> you weren't there, you may not have met any one of these faceless people, and therefore this grief is not entirely yours, you feel it, because these are people, and its the compassionate thing to do, as well as having learnt much about the event you would hold sorrow in your heart, but its indirect sorrow.

Sorry if I am mistaken in my interpretations, but as I said, only you will know its complete meaning and that is the way with all writings especially those close to our hearts.

I must say, to some your use of detail could appear overwhelming, but to me it is effective in its drawing of imagery. Everything is vivid, and to me it appears that you have intended to allow people see clearly what is on your mind, even if they won't entirely understand it.

This piece holds an emotional onslaught for its readers, with every aspect of raw emotion thrown in haphazardly but necessarily so. The impact is immense.

For something that was a spill of emotions for you, this piece is truly and utterly incredible.

A worthy nomination.

Five/Five

To write a very long poem which is worth reading is certainly an accomplishment and I could truly read this piece over and over again and never get tired of it. The poet's way with words is truly stunning as to how they make it flow so well and the theme interesting so much that it certainly appeals to the senses in so many ways. For example, I find the concept of the title "Bereaved: Finally Bare" genuine and certainly heartfelt, which is evident throughout the poem. Although the final line is incomplete, (the poet's feelings/bereavement remain unrequited/unheard), their longing to be together is evident to the reader.

"was brimming with life.
Hands reached out for mine, and I recall
a pair much younger - holding amber crayons
too tightly until they almost broke."

These lines indicate their romantic feelings for someone who they spent their childhood years.

"I've always thought we are
so alike suns -

In describing themselves as suns, the poet has achieved a rather effective comparison; younger people tend to be fervently desirous when it comes to what they want in life, and have fiery personalities.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this and will definitely come back to re-read it again.

"to open it up and bring it over you head."
^to open it up and bring it over [your] head

Just a typo I thought I should point out.