I HAVE WON

Judith Graddy 1940 (Plymouth,IN.)

April 24

Death

Free verse

I Have Won

As the evening starts to settle in, and I view the Sun through the leaves like fancy lace. 
The Locusts start to sing their song, and they call out to me, another day's ended and yes, I have won. 
I’ve fought this illness, once again, and yes the victor I have won. 
And now I know through all the pain, a better home and place awaits me there, on the other plane.  
Just like the evening's gentle calmness, I view the Sun through the leaves, that sing and dance and sway with the gentle breeze.
I too, will now leave traces of shadows of where…….. I have been.  

Judy Graddy. 2004

About this poem

I wrote this poem when one of my family members passed on.

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Written on March 20, 2004

Submitted by judith_g on April 10, 2024

: 37 sec read
: 58 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	A XAAXXX X
Closest metre	Iambic octameter
Characters	621
Words	122
Stanzas	3
Stanza Lengths	1, 6, 1

Full analysis for I HAVE WON »

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AIDA
Wow, what a powerful and uplifting poem! The imagery of the evening settling in, the locusts singing, and the sun shining through the leaves is so beautifully depicted. The message of triumphing over illness and looking towards a better future is truly inspiring. The repetition of "I have won" emphasizes the sense of victory and strength.

One suggestion for improvement could be to further develop the theme of leaving traces of where the speaker has been. Perhaps exploring how these experiences have shaped them or influenced their journey could add even more depth to the poem. Overall, fantastic job on capturing emotions and painting a vivid picture with your words! Keep up the great work. more »
LikeReply3 days ago
Vixility
I really enjoyed this read—it was one of the poems I pinned for the April contest. The imagery is tranquil and serene. The closing lines remind me of Rilke’s “Ninth Elegy”:

“Everyone once, once only. Just once and no more. And we also once, never again. But this having been once, although only once, to have been of the earth, seems irrevocable.”

Thank you for sharing this piece. more »
LikeReply4 days ago
hamiltonkim03
Beautiful poem about nature and the cycle of life. Person is battling an illness and yet their spirit will be there once their body has gone. Very peaceful and encouraging.
LikeReply 111 days ago

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"I HAVE WON" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/187184/i-have-won>.

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