Love Lost - By Andrew Gibson

Written By: Andrew Gibson

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Andrew Gibson presents "Love Lost," a captivating entry in the Poetry category of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Through his poignant verses, Gibson explores the ephemeral nature of love, capturing its vivid intensity and inevitable decay. Join us in delving into this evocative piece that forms part of an international celebration of literary artistry.

About the Work

"Love Lost" by Andrew Gibson is a beautifully woven tapestry of imagery and emotion. The poem's vivid, metaphoric language evokes the intense, fleeting nature of love. With a tone that intertwines longing and acceptance, Gibson uses striking imagery to convey the complexities of human connection and the bittersweet beauty in transience. The work's lyrical style immerses the reader, inviting them to reflect on the delicate balance between passion and impermanence.

Love Lost

Original Submission by Andrew Gibson

I hold your heart under my skin,

like a little a lump of coal—flesh of fire.\,

its light a swarm of small bright insects

that know my name and bite.

There is a small burn beneath my ribs.

The room is a horizon that keeps moving.

You move like an accusation of sunlight

I want to live inside.

Your veins are telephone lines, full of mouths.

We stand at the seam where every promise unravels

and keeps pulling us toward something that looks like light.

Violet hangs in the throat of the night.

The stars are slow knives and they bleed polite things.

You laugh and something in me fills with colour I have no right to keep.

The moon leans in, conspiratorial,

and I read the map of you on its face.

There is a song that starts when we look at each other,

and it sounds like a fist against glass.

Every beat a stubborn little law, every look another trespass.

Remember the garden with roses

that were all thorns pretending to be gentle?

We planted ourselves in that dirt.

We were excellent at being foolish;

we learned the language of broken windows and soft hands.

There is sweetness in the way we rot together,

an honest rot, luminous as fever.

Even decay becomes a thing to love when it remembers your name.

It is too short.

A flicker like a lighter thumbed open and closed.

We break like good actors at the end of a scene,

smiling so the audience won’t know we died again.

Raise a glass to the flash of us,

to the heat that didn’t last long enough to be unkind.

We leave the place cleaner than we found it,

only because we took everything that could burn.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar serves as a platform for writers worldwide to showcase their literary talents. This prestigious event celebrates creativity and expression, inviting submissions across various genres. Participants are given the opportunity to share their unique voices and connect with a global audience, contributing to a rich tapestry of contemporary literature.

We extend our gratitude to Andrew Gibson for his compelling submission, "Love Lost." His contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 enriches the dialogue on love and human experience. We look forward to seeing more of his evocative work in the future. Thank you, Andrew, for sharing your poetic voice with us.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.