The Last Time I Saw You

 

The afternoon before you were to leave

 I wanted to say but I didn't

“when you leave like the early morning train

with only a memory hanging in the air like the train whistle

                                                                                                 I will miss you!”

The faded scrap of  hope which had kept you alive

fluttered from your eyes and I was so busy thinking…

this is our last day together, I don't want it to end

                                                             I never saw it fall signaling a final goodbye!

I wanted to tie us together with silken cords of a hug

hugging your masculine still muscular body next to me

feeling the warmth and safety of you as I inhaled your “Old Spice”

                                                but I kept my arms to myself…kept us apart

 

I remember looking at the faded denim sky

which seemed to stretch on forever with no beginning and no end

without a trace of smoke filtering the light

                                    I thought you would go on also so never said a final goodbye

 I pointed to my garden patch with the yellowed corn stalks,

tomatoes still clinging bravely to the vines not yet extinguished by frost,

weeds standing virile as a young man and exclaimed

                         “Look at those huge pumpkins! They’ll make nice jack-o’-lanterns.

Then with you watching I rambled over to staked up tomato plants

standing like soldiers at attention whose tour of duty is almost over

hidden in the leaves was a juicy big tomato

                                    I picked it letting the juice dribble down my chin while I ate.

 

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