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Face of a Stranger

by Alison McKenzie

Your face is imprinted in my mind -
Ten years of my life,
Six children later,
And I don’t know how we got from
Making babies
To nothing -
No words, no sentiments, no emotions
Not even anger.

Oh, your newest wife is angry enough
On your behalf,
Taking bits of what she thinks she knows
And making that kind of trouble for me.

But not you.
Remembering costs too much,
As if the living of it didn't cost enough.

I see your picture online
In the kids’ friend’s list,
And every so often I catch a real glimpse
Out and about in our little town,
And I wonder,
“Did I ever even know you at all?”
A stranger I spent ten years on
Only to walk away empty-hearted
But for our children,
This strange bewilderment,
And your face still imprinted in my mind.

04/11/2008

Author's Note: Revised, the comments of his current life too unfairly speculative and unkind.

Posted on 04/11/2008
Copyright © 2024 Alison McKenzie

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 04/16/08 at 01:14 AM

There is an aura of classic tragedy espressed calmly -- perhaps too calmly! But you've looked at the situation and obviously are "moving on". An overall sad scene however.

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