Love and hope in difficult times

Love Never Fails

Holding my ground in an emotional storm of free verse

cumulonimbus mounting amassed on the now near once distant horizon intimidating all consuming so too the prospect of doom that waits to engulf me

I stand firm hold my ground my countenance a fortress again against the puffed up might bluff and bluster instability mimics delusion

I feel the tension turgid hot air rising humidity sweating fear synapsed to the snap-chill of reality a trigger gone too far there’s no coming back

I’ve been here before it will pass all in good time lean in bend to the storm it will pass it will pass I am sure it will pass

love always holds steady love makes a way through it all I know it will love never fails

© Carolyn Hastings 2023

To put this poem in context, I wrote the first stanza weeks ago — around the time my husband informed me he no longer wanted to remain married to me.

It’s something he’s been talking about for a while. This time, however, was different. He made it official by registering his intent with his lawyers.

I braced myself for what was about to happen not knowing just what it might be but knowing nevertheless ‘this is it’. There would be no coming back from the brink he had brought us to. Come what may, life as we knew it would never be the same again. And so it has been.

Except, there is always love.

And with love there is hope.

We live to love. We live for love.

We live in hope that love will find a way.

Even when all seems lost, love makes a way for things to fall into place.

I know love will find a way through the emotional storm we find ourselves in. 💜

Many thanks to my co-editor at Paper Poetry, Indubala Kachhawa, for leading the September prompt, Love and Hope in Difficult Times. It goes without saying that the prompt spoke to me in a very personal way.

I believe the prompt will speak to others as well, so I’m taking this opportunity to reach out to Jennifer Kurecki | Raine Lore | Bradley J Nordell | Sheri Jacobs | John Hansen to consider participating in the prompt — and, of course, anyone else who is inspired to explore ‘love and hope in difficult times’. Please find the prompt details here -

And while I have you here, please take a moment to read these splendid responses to the prompt:

Corruption Overload by Toni Crowe -

What’s Your Vulnerability Quotient by Marcus aka Gregory Maidman

Thank you so much for supporting me and my writing. 🙏 💕