Mister next door
was re-roofing his garden shed;
he looked like a rock ape
sitting astride the apex
with his mouth full of tacks.
The tap, tap, tap of his hammer
disturbed the peace of the garden.
Abruptly he stopped
as a shrill voice called “lunch”
He scrambled down via a ladder
propped up at the side of the shed,
with whiskered cheeks puffed
and puckered lips pursed he waddled
off indoors whistling placidly
Eyes closed against the glare of the sun,
my mind drifts now that quiet
has been restored to the garden;
with nothing louder than the bees buzzing
and an occasional car zooming by.
On the insides of my eyelids
a picture is developing like a photograph.
Lovers scowling, then the sound of voices…
Words echo down through the decades
roar angrily, spitefully, painfully
inside my skull.
My heart thunders as it recalls
the ache the ribs caused holding it
fast within their bony cage.
“Maybe we should call it a day”
his tone harsh and cold.
“ You can’t mean that”
mine soft, trembling with fear.
He turned away, shoulders sagging,
hands thrust in his trouser pockets;
I stood rigid not breathing, waiting…
Suddenly he was holding me
and we were both crying out our hurt;
our kisses becoming passionate
until the inevitable coupling returned the Status Quo.
Now all these years later
age demands verity,
that was his pathetic attempt at honesty;
his feeble bid for freedom.
I was too immature to realise the reality,
didn’t understand;
we should have gone out separate ways then.
He wasn’t ready to be tethered,
I was too young to recognise truth.
Comments
threeleafshamrock | May 25, 2009 - 17:50
Wow! A tale of 2 parts; starts off with a chap roofing his shed and ends with a bloke shedding his roof. Matrimonial harmony next door bringing on thoughts of what could have been? Either way, a nice transition between start and finish; enjoyable and methinks all to plausible. Thanks for sharing Val
Chris XX
Bradene | May 26, 2009 - 09:15
How perceptive of you Chris I wondered if anyone would get the inference of the roof. Thanks for the comments Val x
sunshine | May 26, 2009 - 20:12
excellent, another deserved cherry for the bunch. I'm not quite as perceptive as Chris, but thought the non specific fixing of things was your route into what couldn't be fixed. Enjoyable nonetheless.
Jupiter | May 26, 2009 - 22:52
Hi Bradene
Only the 'x'th non-rhyming piece I have read to the end here (yes I know - how sad am I? ;) ) but I loved it. A great story, I could imagine filming it as a 3 minute piece and it moving everyone.
Got a problem! Didn't expect to be moved by this stuff - but I am ;)
Got another problem! It says only 40 reads! More should experience this work. How do we make that happen?
Thanks & good luck
J.
Jupiter | May 26, 2009 - 23:01
Sorry! Posted twice and can't see how to delete!
Feel free to help ;)
Bradene | May 27, 2009 - 09:03
Thanks Sunshine, though I would say you are perceptive as your take on it is just as relevent, another way of saying what I was trying to convey. Thanks for reading and commenting Val x
Bradene | May 27, 2009 - 09:09
I understand you perfectly about the non-rhyming poetry, there was a time I just didn't get it. The more I read the more I began to see its charms and now I feel that it's not as restricting as rigid poetic forms, although I enjoy the challenge of writing all kinds of forms hugely and often do. I love experimenting and playing about and breaking rules! I just enjoy writing period. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment and good luck with your comp' entry too. Val
DraxB | May 27, 2009 - 13:58
ah, so many of us have been there, but so few of us could say it so eloquently.
Bradene | May 28, 2009 - 11:40
Thanks DraxB for that lovely comment. Val x
threeleafshamrock | May 31, 2009 - 09:07
Congrats on the well deserved cherry Val ;)
Chris X