How long

How long
did you stand waiting,
so gentleman-
        like,
refusing to acknowledge the
                                                     truth
of
abandonment,
relying instead on the deceit of rain-fragranced
                                                air?  I can see
you, looking out in wait,
hear the summer bird's
                                                   strained
song -
                                                   she, too,
reluctant
to
   leave her
            home.
The clouds above, restful now,
formed
into
strange and promising shapes, returned to
                   purity, their forgiveness aid to
                          your determination and
                                      the
grass waving glibly on,
as though
           hope remained for tending.
                            I
left with everything but the master key-
left it hidden, surrendered to soil as was my act,
                                                      wrong to
                                think you'd find it.
Maybe
                                                              my
tears joined that last downpour,
tumbling to
flourish
the
     growing ruse
that only here could you remain.
Now,
like an old forgotten photograph, you bring to
mind
memories of a better time but stuck in still shot,
                                                              life
has
passed you by.

Write at the Merge