Last words escaped my lips
without thought of endings.
They hung upon bitter clothes pins,
blowing against us, dividing us.
Pain had me speaking without edit.
I wished to wound you thinking it would heal me.
I thought my goodbye was merely temporary
and I ran from you, the sulfur of my tongue.
Goodbye, two syllables of affliction,
has haunted me with its finality.
I didn’t know that
day
would be a grave where I buried love.
It had died before those words
escaped my lips.
My spirit knew, but my heart
was never one to listen beyond a dream.
Last words, brittle grief
crushed into my memory.
©Susie Clevenger 2012
3 comments:
Oh Susie, this is just beautiful and heartfelt, what a moving but pleasurably evocative read. I'm so glad you came over to my blog and found a connection with the prompt. Exquisite and great to see that pen flowing again!
I love the emotion in this! Beautiful write.
"They hung upon bitter clothes pins, blowing against us, dividing us.
Pain had me speaking without edit."
This is how I also have done "Last Words"--never have I seen this spelled out more eloquently. You did not create the ending, but embroidered it or branded it indeed.
Post a Comment