evening moments
walking for mental health in all the wrong places (again and again).
an evening moment
that caught me off guard
and also expected
*
an evening moment
expectedly
unexpected
clarity clouded with the opacity of love
a love
not eros
not platonic
not philia
and yet somehow skirting the edges of all three
a love
not even the greeks can define
*
wandering the streets late at night
smoking cigarettes
and trying to shift the memories
of this fucking friendship
the kind I'd hoped for
a version of friendship
a version of me
a version of you
a you that I believed
that I believed you
*
and, of course, they are the wrong streets, these streets
these streets that formed
that shaped
that held
that hold
all the memories that new evening moments cannot erase
cannot replace
*
streets that once cemented
trust
love
care
joy
streets where I learned new ways to love and be loved
now hold grief
loss
betrayal
undefined in a way
and rough
jagged like the asphalt footpath that holds my steps
and hardens underfoot
asphalt - like the un-greeked love -
poured in soft
filling the spaces
vulnerable to cracks
and hard in the in-between
this path that holds my evening steps
and hardens
underfoot
hardens
in heart
hardens
in mind
and carries me home
About the Creator
ali
a tangled mess of thoughts. occasionally a clear one bursts through. how about writing things in a public forum? seems wise.
she / her
unceded Wurundjeri & Boon Wurrung Lands
substack: aliwriteswords
insta / upscrolled: @aliwriteswords
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Comments (11)
I just walked down the path with ya. Damn good poetry.
Oh and congrats on Top Story!
This was sad but written so beautifully and artfully. It took the sting out a little. I hope it helped writing it. Like Sam and John said it felt like we were on the walk with you and you were reciting it. Also, much like your comment on my micro the way there day there, I have no idea what you sound like, but I imagined some sorta Aussie thing going on lol.
That “love not even the greeks can define” line stood out a lot. It feels like something deeper than labels, but also something that doesn’t have a safe place to exist anymore. That kind of love can be the hardest to let go of.
Gorgeously-penned Ali!
Way to bring it home. This is such a pleasurable, meandering read. Your pace and tone pull the reader gently along. The ending, for me, was explosive and powerful. "...carry me home." Just wonderful.
Hi Ali, this is the first of your pieces that I read. The image of asphalt changing from soft and pliable to hardened resonated throughout this and took what I though was flight into confident support. Now subscribed.
It's so sad when people we spent so much of our time and thoughts on become more of a memory than our everyday thing. This poem is so sad but so lovely 💝
I love the idea of streets holding both the good and the painful memories. Great work :-)
Another banger. I thought your latest Top Story (🤣) piece was your best on this platform, but this takes the cake thus far ⚡️⚡️⚡️.
The short, fragmented lines fit the theme here perfectly. Makes the reader feel like we’re on that same path, taking the same walk. Something about your word choice too mimics both physical pacing and a wandering mind. Beautifully done!