Songs to heal a broken heart – the memory of the feeling

 

“His memory will come creeping back occasionally. Only the other day I found myself weeping over a lost love, only, luckily, to wake up and remember what he was like in real life. But the pain wasn’t really anything to do with him. It was the memory of the feeling of what I imagined we had together.” Virginia Ironside

I found this quote some time ago, while still troubled by sudden pangs of grief for my old relationship. And it really put into words what I was feeling sad about – not the loss of the relationship, but the loss of the hopes.

A while back I turned this idea into a poem. And as soon as I can get to a piano I plan to turn it into another song in the set I’m calling “Songs to heal a broken heart” (see previous posts here and here). I already know what I want the refrain to sound like… I just need to find the music for the verses and the song is there.

At the moment each refrain is slightly different – I’d really welcome your thoughts on whether having different ones works, or, if I made them all the same, which one works the best?

The memory of the feeling

Sometimes my happiness falters
Tears well up with old pain.
I’m happier now it’s over –
Why do I long to see you again?

I miss the memory
Of the feeling
Of what I imagined
Our love could be

For it’s not you who I miss
Not you I’m aching to see
I simply can’t stop yearning
For the person I dreamed you to be

Just the memory
Of the feeling
Of the illusions
I dreamed of you

The man I miss never existed
Or at least, no longer exists.
I miss someone my mind created
Yet still the longing persists

For the memory
Of the feeling
Of the hopes
I cherished for us

But slowly the illusions are fading
And with them fades the pain
And the happiness my hopes created
I will someday create again

Brand new memories
Brand new feelings
Brand new hopes
Of someone new

Photo – Our memories, originally uploaded by andy-chan on flickr.