After he left, they told me –
‘Keep occupied...start writing...
take up painting, again.’ Buy
myself a dog; go for long walks
in the park. Enjoy my newfound
freedom...Remember
no more shirts to iron...no meals
to prepare at set times...no more
scraping toothpaste off the sink –
or being sick of my own voice
when I’d ask him, nicely, of course,
not to oil his bike in the kitchen...
But what do I do, when the tap’s
dripping, or the drain’s blocked?
“Ring a plumber,” they quipped.
“Can’t afford,” it my reply...
“Buy a book, then...on DIY,”
they said, and so I did. Except,
nowhere, but nowhere, did it explain,
how to fill the space he used to fit in.
Comments
Highhat | June 22, 2011 - 21:35
Someone's got the blues for an old lover. Well done Tina- I enjoyed this
;)Pia
maggyvaneijk | June 22, 2011 - 21:45
When I clicked on this title I began with a smile at the prospect of reading a Tina poem and then the corners of my smile slowly began to slide downwards as the sadness of the piece sunk in. I especially like the chorus of motivators in this poem, "keep occupied" "ring a plumber".
ali k | June 22, 2011 - 22:28
i like it.
fatboy74 | June 22, 2011 - 23:00
You always put us in the place you describe Tina, that is a massive gift. Very much enjoyed. :-)
Nathan Bednarek | June 22, 2011 - 23:07
I went through a very similar experience as Maggy... such a wonderfully written poem. You write them with an open heart, allowing the reader to get inside and take a moment to view the surroundings, which makes one appreciate the beautiful heart that you have.
A stunning piece, so skillfully written...
Amazing. Well done.
Nathan x
L G Meadows | June 23, 2011 - 06:27
Could almost hear the tears in your voice. Enjoyed the read.
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:41
You guessed;-) Pleased you enjoyed.
Tina;-)
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:42
Many thanks, Maggy;-) Pleased it struck it a chord.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:43
Thanks, ali k;-)
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:43
Glad you think so , fb;-) Much appreciate your lovely comment.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:45
Nathan - pleased you could identify with this one, and I thank you for your words;-)
Tina x
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 06:45
Ta, muchly, LG;-)
Tina
insertponceyfre... | June 23, 2011 - 11:03
I really enjoyed this one - I agree with Nathan - very skilfully done
Silver Spun Sand | June 23, 2011 - 11:22
Thank you, insert;-) Tina
rjnewlyn | June 23, 2011 - 22:32
Yes, very good the way you mix and balance the emotions.
Rob
Silver Spun Sand | June 24, 2011 - 06:39
Thanks, Rob.
Tina
Overthetop1 | June 24, 2011 - 12:30
Tina - this is beautiful and very poignant. I think many of us have been there, or experienced something similar, but you have put it in just the right words.
Silver Spun Sand | June 24, 2011 - 12:54
Thanks, OTT. Much obliged to you for your words.
Tina
barryj1 | June 24, 2011 - 23:33
Okay, at least for the time being can we put aside the fact that this is a beautiful poem told in a totally original and painfully honest voice? There is an inherent problem here and I don't mind being the first to point it out: the ultra-liberal, bra-burning femi-nazis are going to take issue. That's what they did to Willa Cather after she wrote 'My Antonia'. They didn't like the ending, when the heroine married that farmer, got prenant a half dozen times and actually enjoyed indulging the grandchildren.
The National Organization of Women (at least in America) told their members not to read Willa Cather. No matter that she was far and away one of the greatest writers of the eary 1900s. Do you have a NOW chapter in England? If so, you might want to publish and apology or a retraction or move to a warm climate. I don't mean to tell you how to live your life but...
Silver Spun Sand | June 25, 2011 - 08:10
Hi there, Barry;-) Thanks, as ever, for sharing your more than interesting and enlightening thoughts...and I must admit, I've always fancied a move to warmer climes, so maybe you've hit on a winner;-)
Hope you have a sunny weekend...by all accounts it should be a scorcher.
Tina