Monday, December 17, 2012

Half Finished


Presents never sent
In the bottom of the wardrobe
Addressed envelopes for unwritten letters
Notes on the back of photographs

Few laughs. A feeling of dread
As the illness approaches
Someone you love tied to the railway track
And you are helpless
But why am I tied to the track, you ask

Shaken like the welcome mat
And all your memories
Scatter like the silver stars on my eighth birthday

Silver turns grey.
At night you worry – is the door locked?
Crossword puzzles become confusing, are left
Half finished, along with half-knitted hats

Sure everyone is old, but you don’t know why
You are in the home.
It’s not your home
And you cry. You don’t ask for much
You’re perplexed and puzzled.
Why have you been abandoned
By your family?

And we take you to the sea, to Sheerness
And it’s beautiful, you say, looking over the marsh
For you’ve forgotten about the oncoming train

And the grey rain turns to fog
Dad, he walked out, you think
When he died – your joy was gone
Your life was half finished
And now you must finish it alone

3 comments:

Celia Warren said...

Lump in throat ...

Well written, Roger.

Celia Warren said...

Lump in throat ...

Well written, Roger.

Russell CJ Duffy said...

Very moving.