Edward Lee is an artist and writer from Ireland. His paintings and photography have been exhibited widely, while his poetry, short stories, non-fiction have been published in magazines in Ireland, England and America, including The Stinging Fly, Skylight 47, Acumen and Smiths Knoll. He is currently working on two photography collections: ‘Lying Down With The Dead’ and ‘There Is A Beauty In Broken Things’. He also makes musical noise under the names Ayahuasca Collective, Orson Carroll, Lego Figures Fighting, and Pale Blond Boy.
His blog/website can be found at https://edwardmlee.wordpress.com
THIS INEXPLICABLE NEED
The silence you left
comforts me
more than your voice
ever did, or your touch,
or, for that matter,
your very presence,
my existence one of constantly coiled apprehension
that I might disappoint you,
anger you,
lose you,
The silence you left
comforts me
more than your voice
ever did, or your touch,
or, for that matter,
your very presence,
my existence one of constantly coiled apprehension
that I might disappoint you,
anger you,
lose you,
all of which I did,
and more, but
that is not why you are gone;
your heart simply ceased,
quickly, surprisingly.
Your heart ceased
and now you are gone.
I miss you,
without missing you,
the comfort of silence,
the absence of the fear
of angering you,
not enough
to calm my need for you
beside me, this inexplicable need.
© Edward Lee
ROPE FOR SOUL
For PW
I would have sold my soul
for a rope that could have anchored
your soul to your body
for a moment longer,
just so your daughter
might have arrived there
in time to say goodbye.
For PW
I would have sold my soul
for a rope that could have anchored
your soul to your body
for a moment longer,
just so your daughter
might have arrived there
in time to say goodbye.
But I don’t believe
in such fancies
as the soul,
though I would
if it meant
I could have sold mine
to hold onto yours
for those handful of minutes
as she rushed to the hospital,
the call of the doctor still loud
in her semi-sleeping ear.
© Edward Lee
Photo Selection by Edward Lee
