20 years too long

by Chelsey   Aug 6, 2012


Club challenge poem about "70th wedding anniversary"

Its the 70th anniversary of our special moment,
when lives were paused, when eyes witnessed
the exact moment I gave my heart to you-
in a church that is no longer standing

I spend it like I have done the past 20 years
These run down knees, knelt at the foot
of a gravestone that says,
"R.I.P Henning, cherished husband,
beloved giver of his soul"

My arthritic bones, brush away dried leaves
and I speak to you like we did every Sunday
on our porch swing, sweet ice tea in one hand
and the embrace of our fingers in the other

I catch you up on how I'm doing,
the answer hasn't changed for two decades
My heart shrinks and wrinkles
the exact same way this body has as I've aged
I cry every morning as I hold your pillow
snug against my arms, sniffing the smell
of moth balls and whats left of your old spice

Before I fall asleep on this day,
I close my eyes and imagine reuniting
at the opening of the Pearly Gates
where angels sing Amazing Grace
and we renew our vows because
"til death do us part" is not enough for me

each year I ask,
"let it be tonight"

R.i.p to my Grandma and Grandpa

This is a special dedication to Momma Pike and her Husband Bob. :)

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Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by Maple Tree

    Well I'm crying buckets... I came here to say thank you for allowing all of us in the Pike family a chance to read this poem for Momma P, and I see her comment was praised... oh darnit.. *crying*

    This poem Chels, was so special to her... thank you..

    • 11 years ago

      by Chelsey

      Love her, love you, praying for you all.

  • 12 years ago

    by The Poet Behind The Poems

    This was amazing I remember write a poem about this called 50 years one of my first on the site I think lol

    I loved the emotion you made my heart pour I loved the power and the twist of a lost I never saw it coming this is going iny Favs well done amazing

  • 12 years ago

    by Mom Pike

    Young lady you made me cry with this poem. Its like you wrote how I feel. I feel this way all the time, I miss my Bob very much. I thank you for your dedication and if Bob was here he would thank you too. He wrote me poetry all the time so now I feel very touched to read this poem and I will read it often. You are very talented and again thank you for making an old lady smile, they don't come to often. This poem is beautiful.

  • 12 years ago

    by Baby Rainbow

    Chels I loved this one. I know when you first seen your prompt you were worried about it a bit and after pulling this off I hope it shows you that your talent is just endless.

    The power this piece holds is amazing, it is about such an amazing love story but a true love story of dedication and how 2 people belong so much together that they struggle to live on without the other.

    Such a lovely idea and the image of the lady at the headstone, this moves me so deeply and I thought the imagery here was so great. The way you mentioned the leaves which had gathered in time. Amazing.

    Great work. x

  • 12 years ago

    by Hannah Lizette

    Chelsey, you done fantastic with your prompt. This reminds me of my father grieving for my mother in a way. It's just shattered my heart... it will definitely get a nomination from me.

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