bird has flown

By Coolhermit

Wed, 09 Dec 2020
  • 429 reads
3 comments
 
bird has flown
 
we walked the windswept wildness
stepping onto marram tussocks
to keep our hiking boots
from stagnant water
 
her eyes sparkling
she laughed at the rain
dripping from her nose
onto the faint fuzz
of her upper lip,
 
stuck her tongue out at me,
and licked the wet away
 
in a momentary epiphany
the penny dropped;
I loved her before -
after a fashion -
but suddenly knew
she was the one for me
 
while she had loved me
unreservedly
I did not deserve her
 
confession time
come clean
draw a line
clear the air
once and for all
forgive and forget
 
I kissed her cheek,
tasting raindrops,
and run mascara,
and opened up,
 
“I’m sorry...
 
she put a finger to her lips
pointed out a hen harrier
wheeling, swooping,
cavorting, hunting
 
‘look, that’s you’
 
...I've been a bastard, honey
I’m sorry for leaving, ‘love you, baby’
on your answerphone
while I smoked in bed with another
 
and calling her name, not yours,
when we were having sex that time
and her long blonde hairs
you picked off my pillow
and those scratches you found
scored on my back
 
I'm sorry he left you
when you told him
how much you loved me
 
I’m sorry for pressing
the termination on you
when I knew how much
you wanted a child,
 
I’m sorry for… ”
 
she put a finger to my lips
smiled across the void between us
 
pointed out the hen harrier
still wheeling, swooping,
cavorting, hunting
 
‘look, that’s you’
 
stepping onto marram tussocks
to keep her hiking boots
from stagnant water
 
she stalked the windswept wildness away
 
 
 
Certificate 12
Poem
Love

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

Haunting. Past love is a recurring theme in your work?

 

Submitted by Coolhermit on

Well, Marandina, since today I'll be polishing up a pome tenuously based on his life, and hopefully it'll be good enough to cut the mustard and get posted, all I can say is:
"Whatever one writes is in a sense autobiographical, of course. Not factually so, but poetically so." (Paul Bowles)

 

Rick

 

Submitted by Coolhermit on

All I have is 'past loves'... fond memories and some not so fond. This one is entirely imaginary (but don't tell anyone I said so - I like to create a mystique smiley).