When mem’ries' dreams awaken me at night,
And I am left with longing in my heart,
It’s then I question if my choice was right
To leave behind what your love could impart.
Society's demands were all I knew;
I did not question my life's journey then,
For ev’ry need was answered right on cue,
And ev’ry breeze commanded where and when.
And yet, I was too weak to walk astray,
Or trust my heart when your eyes sought my own.
From customs firm I could not break away,
And so, I followed only what was known.
May life’s regrets break free with each new morn,
And mem’ries' dreams thus fade from night winds borne...
8/18/2026
The Words That Got to Me
“And ev’ry breeze commanded where and when.” I enjoy the way you take a life shaped by expectation and give us such a clear image. No explanation necessary. “Or trust my heart when your eyes sought my own.” Here you show us the person behind the regret and loss. Nicely done.
Suggestions / Possible Tweaks
“When mem’ries' dreams awaken me at night,” This made me sit up and try to figure it out a bit. I get the intention, but the phrasing sounds convoluted. Then the repetition of the idea at the end emphasises it rather than resolves it.
This is a heart-achingly sad sonnet, Diane. I did like the way you captured a life lived according to expectation rather than desire. That in itself is the heart of the tragedy. “And ev’ry breeze commanded where and when” really stood out for me, as did the moment when those remembered eyes sought her own. The poem is wistful, flows with regret and leaves me with a mix of ‘if only’ and what might have been.