12 Comments
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Author John G. Dyer's avatar

Lyrical. I really liked it!

Joe Nichols's avatar

Thank you John, much appreciated!

Rea de Miranda's avatar

Oh god Joe! This is powerful and achingly tender at the same time. You touch my heart.

Ben Sellars's avatar

I actually love this!!

I think a distilled version, maybe half to two-thirds would retain the punch.

But you smashed it. Awesome!!

Joe Nichols's avatar

Thank you Ben. I’ve never been accused of brevity I think I said in a past post. Regards.

Terry Angelos's avatar

A gift as always

Joe Nichols's avatar

Thank you so much Terry, you are appreciated.

Annieguile Bentulan's avatar

This isn't just defiance—it's devotion. A hunger not for conquest, but for all of it, for the unbearable vastness of existence. I feel this. The ache, the awe, the refusal to live gently. The way this turns the fall into something sacred—it lingers. It burns. And maybe that's the point.

Joe Nichols's avatar

Thank you so much Annieguile, I sincerely appreciate your comment and the read. I really enjoyed this one!

D Douglass's avatar

Liking That!

Question-

“Toward the fire.

Toward the truth.

Toward the sun.” - did you miss-spell Son? Referring to Jesus?

Just curious. I’ve done it. Hoping to inspire people who believe in love, but not necessarily Jesus, to be the silver lining in this world.

“It has been put upon us.

we’re the light of the world today,

and if the sun is no longer shining,

we’re the light, that has gone away.

Will you leave it dark and cold

where the storm is in command,

or be a silver lining

for those who dwell in this land?

DRD

Joe Nichols's avatar

No, actually I kept it as sun. Thank you much for the read and the comment. D!

Mike Riley 🌴's avatar

“Do not mistake me for arrogant. I speak not of conquest. But of awe. Of longing. Of sacred fury.”

Bravo Joe