Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Poets United/Midweek Motif -- Watershed Moment

Watershed Moment

the time the earth stood still      all air sucked from the room

 the merry-go-round stopped     they told me the water got hot for sure

 no one knew exactly what happened     it was said it couldn't happen

 not then at that moment     not to him      perhaps to another

 still his body was laid cold      upon the slab     my touchstone

 my anchor      my love      the life had gone out

 the world grew dark                    ... the young king was dead




that was the moment you asked about       but did you really want to know

some had seen him just before      said he was great relaxed and in great spirits

still the phone rang and rang      just to say he was dead   no longer alive on the planet

but I knew no other      the one the only      the other member of my tribe

 perhaps it was then our world fell apart      numb without feeling

the impossible happened                 you arranged for the mariachis to play

his favorite song              the one about the little bird                     La Poloma




it seemed he would appear      sing along      he would not let us sing alone

that only happened in my imagination          he did not appear

 he was gone for good             had sung his final song

said he made a good party for the boys          and now his days were done




it is said we never really know until someone is gone              it is true

or least it was for me          i took my life for granted          thought it would always be

the time the earth stood still        all air sucked from the room

 the merry-go-round stopped          there was a silence you could eat

 nothing was ever the same                                     ...especially not me

August 30, 2015

12 comments:

Susan said...

POWERFUL and WOW. " there was a silence you could eat" Oh, yes. and nothing was ever the same.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

This is such a heartfelt piece.. no doubt the loss of a loved one can fill our world with dread and silence.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Oh, my friend, so brave to revisit that watershed in your life. I love that the mariachis played. I cannot begin to imagine that event in your life, and am so sorry you went through it. But look at you, still standing, so brave! Thank you for the sad beauty of this poem, and for sharing this moment with us. It went straight to my heart.

X said...

No, and it never will be. I could have easily guessed your turning point. And it will continue to affect you going forward, but hopefully you can take the positive energy from the time you had together and use it going forward.

Mary said...

Annell, this is another in your series of grief poems, Annell. So vivid, painful, real. There definitely is a lot we do not know...until a person is gone.

Myrna R. said...

Beautiful Annell. Your grief pierces my heart.
I bet he's singing now...
paloma, no llores.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

A stunning poem! It gets straight to my heart.

Sumana Roy said...

I so resonate with this poem...."it is said we never really know until someone is gone it is true"...so very true...sigh...

Helen said...

~~ you could not have been more open, more vulnerable. Beautifully done Annell.

Hannah said...

My heart rips in two for you...this is expressed so powerfully. The pieces you offer as graspable are felt on many levels...this is an amazing poem, annell. ♥

Audrey Howitt aka Divalounger said...

Your grief is palpable and for all of us, it makes our own so much more so as well--gorgeous writing--

Gen Giggles said...

There is a greif that does not leave, this poem expresses is very well.

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