Thursday 9 July 2015

Night

There is a stifled breath, a quietened fear. 
A heartbeat skipped.
She waits the night to take her up,
scoop her up to silvered moon.

There is a quiver to his voice,  
a loss of vocal strength,  
he fraught with angst and ancientness.    
He sits with her, beside her then,
takes her fingers in his gnarled and knotted hand,
grinding bone against her wedding band;
she winces then as yelp spills from those thin whitened lips.

He is mortified, beside himself,
consumed with guilt he drops her hand
and she screams she screams she screams. 
Oh Jesus I’m so so so so sorry, he cries
and rocks his moaning head in those knotty bony things
that once offered love, now only help rack up her pain.

He stands now, shuffles up aside the bed
til near enough to bend, plant the softest kisses on her head. 
And those gnarled and knotted hands,
now the gentlest and most loving things
comb his tears through sparse strands of hair
that lick her scalp as if clinging onto life.

She gurgles then. 
And he loses her.

She looks tiny now, a tiny doll,
white porcelain face, eyes black still pools. 

He wails as she dissolves into the night.

Anna :o]


Image: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

16 comments:

claireylove said...

You've captured such a sad yet every day story with tenderness here.

X said...

So sad. I am glad though for love that endures you know.
I wonder how many years they have shared. I am sure there are stories of better times. But I am glad they endured regardless.

brudberg said...

Oh dear.. what a dark way to part. It seems like a scene that is played for many. There are few that are given the bliss of parting with this world together. Really strong write.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

This is so tragic! Such a powerful write.

Mary said...

This poem really captures the sadness and pain of parting. It has been a difficult journey for them, I'm sure. So sad to have it all end this way...but realistically, that is the way it sometimes happens.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

What a heartrending story - I can see it so clearly - his gnarled hands, her pain, his remorse, and then those still dark eyes of hers. Wow!!!!

Gabriella said...

I wonder whether this sad scene was inspired by your experience at the hospital. A very vivid poem!

Sumana Roy said...

This is the ultimate truth of life, to dissolve into darkness...night/death is truly the great reliever...the details are portrayed with so much heart...thanks for sharing this beautiful poem...

Jenny Woolf said...

Very sad, but as usual a wonderful poem

Jae Rose said...

Night can take the light most cruelly yet I hope in time it provides comfort and rest

Gen Giggles said...

This broke my heart.

Martin said...

A very touching poem.


That one must stay
when one must part -
mankind's desolate fate,
a night so deep sunlight can not erase.

Torn blooms in hands
deep rooted flower
in beating heart.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

oh how beautiful and sad

Unknown said...

Night takes those we love and all we can do is grasp our tears. Lovely and sad verse

Intelliblog said...

Beautifully written, Anna (good to meet you again on Poets United!). You've captured so well the agony of death and the desperation of love lost...

tonispencer said...

And this poem reminds me of how much I have missed your writing. Good to see you again. Oh how sad this is.