Living the Lie
Holding myself upright,
tautly solid, silent,
refusing your gaze,
I stride away.
It’s better so,
although your grief
is so fierce
you feel destroyed.
Can’t look back
at your face —
shocked, aghast, bereft,
about to shatter.
I must convince,
with false bravado,
I never truly
cared for you.
You are my
sunshine, my only ...
No! Save it
for later, alone.
Then I’ll sing
all the songs,
cry the tears,
weep the words.
Your family awaits,
as mine does.
Our jobs await,
and our lives.
Let’s go, then,
and live them —
while backward glances
dwindle, taper off.
If this is
what it takes
to free you,
so be it.
Written for April 2020 Day 12 at ‘imaginary garden with real toads’, where we’re asked to write about loving someone who doesn’t know we do. I thought I'd give it a bit of a twist.
The narrative viewpoint is very intriguing, sometimes the one who walks away is not as heartless as they seem to be. Sometimes it is for the best.
ReplyDeleteThis is heartwrenchingly beautiful, Rosemary!💝💝 I relate to; "Then I’ll sing all the songs, cry the tears, weep the words."
ReplyDeleteSome men just don't want to be tied down. I knew one girl, in typing class she let out that she would teach all her kids to not marry either. Nice heart tugging write, Rosemary.
ReplyDelete..
Well, it's hard to be tied down in two different places at once.
DeleteOh wow, this is tough, and wrenching, and tender and tragic. It sounds like you've been there. This really got to me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was thinking of a scenario I was part of, a long time ago. I'm glad it came across as authentic.
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