Notes From an Unclaimed Melody

Notes From an Unclaimed Melody

The Nevada night is cold,
the desert quiet and stark beneath
an endless sky scattered with stars.

The wind whispers softly through the sage,
bringing fragments of a love
she thought would last forever.

Love is like a delicate butterfly,
she once believed…
beautiful, fleeting, impossible to hold.

Tonight, the wind carries his name
across the barren desert floor,
notes from an unclaimed melody.

But she doesn’t chase it.

She lets the wind whisk away
what she no longer needs,
what is no longer hers…
and turns with gratitude toward tomorrow’s sun.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2026
September 12, 2026

Just a quick off the cuff write this evening. Somehow I started with Nevada and ended up with gratitude. Funny how life works, right? I think there is more truth to this poem beneath the surface… if you know, you know.

I got some extremely heartbreaking news yesterday that simply gutted me. My Aunt Mary Helen suddenly passed away in her sleep on September 9. I was getting ready to go up to my hometown, with plans to meet my high school girlfriends for lunch, take my BFF to see Mom (she is her “fourth” daughter), dinner with Marianne & Brian, overnight stay at the Marriott, and then take Mom shopping today. While getting ready, my Mom texted me the news about Aunt Mary Helen’s death, and it felt like someone ripped my heart out…. I could not stop crying.

Aunt Mary Helen was my favorite aunt, right alongside Aunt Jean. They were very close sisters, lived in apartments beside each other. There are so many wonderful memories of her and the entire Keller family. She had experienced some health issues in the past few years, but I just saw her at the Keller family reunion this past summer. We sat together and had a wonderful conversation. She LOVED seeing pictures of the grandchildren and always read my poetry and commented. But most importantly, she was just the kindest person, had a love for family gatherings and was so much fun to be with. The funeral is this Wednesday, and I am truly saddened about losing her. Now of the 14 “Keller siblings,” only my beloved Aunt Jean remains. She just turned 98 and I fear this loss will pull her under, too. This seriously was the hardest loss so far of all my relatives other than my own father and our matriarch, Nanny Keller. I’m just devastated for her family… I want to hug them all so tightly…

Have a wonderful weekend, and please remember to let go of any petty differences or grudges, especially within your own family. It is NOT worth it! Hug your loved ones tight and cherish each moment with them! Life is precious, and it is far too short. Xoxo

Love,
Colleen

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 11.18 – Unclaimed Melody
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric from Dolly Parton (“Love is like a butterfly.”)
Easy Bonus: Include a state that begins with the letter N (Nevada)