Teresa J. Scollon

Mar 14, 2013 2:29 PM EDT

The main emotion that hits me is sadness, it's such a sad poem. It also makes me think about what is friendship? Can a one sided neediness really last, do friends need to love and be loved for the relationship to last? All these things struck me before the reference to tension and release but then I read your take on things and got another view! Wow, so few words, so much meaning.

- Chris

Mar 14, 2013 4:59 PM EDT

Thank you Teresa. I enjoyed reading this.

- Holly Wren

Mar 15, 2013 9:46 AM EDT

Chris, I love your words here. I agree--it is such a sad poem. Cording puts himself right in the middle of that sadness. And friendship? Part way through that poem I think both of these men have to know it isn't working. For pity's sake, stop. But when Cording starts talking about his own frozen-ness, I think, ah. Maybe Cording needs this friendship more than his friend does. Thanks for writing. : >

- Teresa Scollon

Mar 15, 2013 9:47 AM EDT

Thank you, Holly, friend to writers everywhere. : > And thanks for the FB teaser also. Hope you are well and happy.

- Teresa Scollon

Mar 16, 2013 8:07 AM EDT

For twenty years
I have learned to live by doing whatever it takes
not to be hurt.

How much tension does that create? I have only tried it for the past 8 years, and I can testify to the fact that it's plenty stressful. But then:

I kept the receiver to my ear for a moment.

His friend has hung up, but he keeps the receiver to his ear for a moment, starts to listen to the sounds of nature, starts to "breathe in the sappy spring-struck air." Maybe he'll actually send that "love letter sealed inside an envelope years and years ago."

- Judy Mills

Apr 28, 2013 2:38 PM EDT

Lovely. Thanks, Judy.

- Teresa