There is something about this poem that caught my attention. It is beautiful and yet sad. Feels so real to me. Add to my favorite. All the very best to you

I am nodding my head to what Dagmar said, although I cannot pinpoint it exactly, let me try.

The best way I can think to describe it is that this poem has multiple layers. I love what you share in previous poems because I'm sure it can't be easy and it's opening up and letting emotions, vulnerability, out.

When I read about the "post wedding", which I was not expecting, this poem became much more than the introspective, almost meditative piece about your own life. To me, it than became bigger than itself, understanding the fragility of life. The concept of uniting as one yet realizing you will be together to witness the absolute heartaches of life. To realize how quickly the fading can come.

Everything about this piece had this prophetic quality? The yearning to be free, to be relieved, free from the grief. A place of rest. Knowing there will be pain in the end, feeling that complexity and intricacies of the "fading".... and realizing what we are capable of. What the world has been capable of in weighing us down so much so that we seek to feel safe and sound somehow. No matter how.

Wow. Going to come back and read this. So many thoughts going through my mind.

I stumbled across this poem because of your recent poem "Return (Fading Black)", you said that that poem was sort of written as a response to this, so I came here to check it out, and I was absolutely floored by what I read.

You captured a hauntingly beautiful perspective of life that's often mused by many, but put to pen by few. Your depiction of the forlorn siren song that beckons to many, is spot on. It's extremely easy for thoughts to manifest and have it seem like such an enticing option.

You showcase a lot of vulnerability in this poem, and much like MaryAnne I wasn't expecting the 'post-wedding', which got me thinking as well; the thought of a life-long commitment can be scary, and so is the realization of how fragile relationships, and life itself can be. It makes you much more vulnerable than you would be on your own, but that comes with its own strengths and weakness that you address.

I really enjoyed this piece, so thank you for sharing. My only thoughts would be about the formatting, though I understand why it's formatted the way it is, I think it could benefit from some more line breaks like this:

"Fading.

The setting sun
awakens the raging ocean
no longer made gentle
by the daylight.

The waves call me to them,
with their siren song
to my waiting ears -

“Come to me,
where chains will never bind you.
All your grief
at last, at last behind you.

Walk toward us,
and we will always hold you.
At last you’ll be safe and sound,
following this aching needing -
to be free
to break the chains, to go home
or to be
the earth that feeds the trees.

Come to us
melding into life’s circle.
Just fading,
gone to see a life beyond or fade into cold silence”.

It will hurt to drown,
I know that.

The waves, neglect to sing of
the pain foreplay,
the price to pay,
the hope to fray,
the light’s decay,
the cold’s pathway,
to fade away to freedom.

Fading.

The mist devours
the sea of green trees
both hungry
and like a baby blanket
calling me,
promising
lasting embrace
safe with touches
that cannot hurt me
anymore.

My lasts breaths
mingling in
and fading on,
until I disappear
in weight of fog and green.

Gone,
into the setting dawn.

Fading.

It will hurt to die,
I am no fool.
to starve,
to freeze,
to dry away.

Days and days of dying,
unless a hungry friend
releases me first.

Alone at least
the green and dark and mist
will be my last companions
as I greet death,
fading.

Here,
in these days of celebration
of post wedding,
of light and love
and new beginnings.

It’s the romance
and reality
of self destruction
that entertain at my table,
as we discuss
as we long
as we plan
for fading."

But just a thought. :)