They had nothing to say to each other
Side by side they stared at the ocean
dark and mesmerising
The silence hung like the thick grey clouds in the midnight sky
The cheese yellow moon sent slivers of light glowing across the silky sand.
Too many words had flowed like a torrent
Fast and furious, hurtful
No holes barred, no going back
beside her he remained still
an unmoving statue like a concrete wall
they had loved so deeply for so long
but distrust had gone unspoken
a wedge between them
now the wounds were open and raw
exposed and bloody
there was no bandaid to stem the flow
no miracle cure
it was over
Another tear slipped down her cheek
Now a glistening slippery slope
Shivers came and went
Goosebumps rose from her porcelain skin
she wrung her finely boned hands
twisting turning
she stole a furtive glance
not wanting to catch his eye
Bent forward
Dark wispy curls fell across his face
clenched fists pushed deep into his woollen coat
His breath was heavy, uneven
Dark eyes tightly shut
Long lashes curling
His lips pursed, forehead wrinkled
old despite his boyish good looks
Her heart was wrenched
the time had come to go
she pulled herself to her feet
shaky
lightening struck
the horizon glowed
thunder crackled in the distance
soon there would be rain
heavy cleansing rain
she moved leaden legs one at a time
the muddy grass thick and dewy
the effort was supreme
leaving him there
no words of good bye
she struggled towards the car
waves crashed so close
the spray catching her hair
stinging her reddened eyes
much later she sat in the rusty metal shell
staring through the condensation into the darkness
he rose
shoulders heaved as he drew in deeply
exhaling, clouds of breath escaped
he slouched as he shuffled towards the road
for a long time he stood on the roadside
cars raced by
gravel sprayed
he was patient
there was no hurry
and then he was gone
in an instant her pain was unbearable
her heart burst beneath her breast
now it was real
very real
she was alone
alone after so long
no hand to hold
no voice to calm
no love.
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3 comments:
Kerry says:
Thank you Peta. I have been savouring your words, reading them over and over. You have created a deeply moving narrative set in such a rich context. You have transported me to that dark beach with the threat of a thunderstorm mirroring the human conflict.
Whatever you did with the overcooked goose has worked very well.
Only one thing, would you consider completing the poem at 'she was alone'? For me, the lines after that seem self-evident and have the effect of prolonging the story after it has finished.
Welcome to the Scriveners.
Boy we had a majority vote for partings this week. Welcome Peta. You paint a stormy picture of the end of a long relationship. No sad but soft ending for these two, they end with a bang like the coming storm. Very evocative with the slouching, the shuffling, the reddened eyes and leaden legs.
Wow Peta. How wonderful to have you as part of the group. I love your piece, gorgeous words and you've created a really moving piece.
Your first para instantly has me there on the beach with them. I love the silky sand! I also love the "unmoving statue like a concrete wall" - thats a wonderful word picture. Your POV is perfect and stays well as truly on track.
What a sad yet beautiful relationship they had. You create real mystique in the story. I think he is sick. I think he throws himself under a car?? I wonder. But I like it.
the only thing I couldn't get my head around was the muddy grass (on the beach?) and the rusty shell. Is that the car?
Terrific and I look forward to your next piece. Sue
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