© 2026 Steve Gray
Defeat. A hollow loss settles, cold and deep.
Heartbreak a slow drumbeat, echoing misery.
A sharp, constant annoyance in the quiet air.
I am lost, an anchor cut, adrift on waves of angst.
This hurt is a cloak, heavy and alone.
There’s something missing, a vital spark withdrawn.
These people, their faces blurred, seem heartless.
‘Don’t know’ is a useless phrase. I truly don’t know where the turning point went wrong.
Unmotivated, I am in a fragile state.
I was pushed, maybe coerced, certainly by expectations, annoyed by their persistence, berated by the silent judge inside.
The betrayal was subtle, I was dismissed, misled by my own hope.
This problematic outcome, I won’t complain aloud.
I feel betrayed by the memory of effort, held to account by the silence of the score.
They stand, pointing fingers, their eyes questioning every move.
But why? The whisper asks, catching in the throat.
The dust of defeat remains.
