You talk of him as I would of
A mistake I would rather forget.
Your coldness makes me shiver.

Two smiles together; hands outstretched
Towards the same sky, pointing at
Circling birds as two pairs of
Young eyes filled with wonderment.
Now those eyes only stare
Forlornly from dusty old photographs,
Their sadness a third dimension,
Their colour vivid from a lack
Of exposure to light.

Every tick of the clock is
A second further from his voice,
A second more without love;
Another second wasted on
Self defeating pride.

Is life really better without him?
Do you feel complete without
His pieces of the jigsaw?
He is a part of you, as
You are of him.
How ignorant your denial sounds;
How futile your refusal to forgive.

I wonder whether I will ever
Understand a stubbornness
Strong enough to divide
Hand from hand, blood from blood,
Brother from brother; to divide
What even death cannot.

Remember what you could only share
With him, and what you still can.
Make your tears ones of joyful
Reunion, not ones of mourning for
Deceased seconds and happy memories
That never were.

07/26/2007

Posted on 08/07/2007
Copyright © 2024 Richard Vince