The Glance.

The glance, when understood, is more

than all the words that have been said;

Than all the paths upon this earth

that we so briefly tread...

And here was time, encapsulated,

as quiet as the tip-toe back and forth

of the last bastions of hope in their crisp

and perfectly ironed uniforms.

He thought the silence became him, suited his mood,

as did the elegant whiteness of the room,

only the incessant drip, drip, drip,

of his enforced sustenance daring to intrude.

Unwilling to leave, he instead transferred

the dreams of summer days to memory;

And though no longer firm of hand, 

eschewed the veil of descending eternity.

"Come with me," he said, (though no words

were spoke.) "Come to where our world is locked

in time and our eyes weep tears of joy at all 

the wonders we have seen and marvelled at."

"But I am not ready," came the hushed reply,

"I have still as many walks along our favourite

beach as there are summer days yet to come.

Can you not wait awhile?"

"You ask the wrong person," he whispered,

"choice is a luxury we only think we own.

Such arrogance is only for the young, not for

those for whom the dice is already thrown."

"Then I shall wait for you," she replied, a last kiss, 

delicate as the gossamer wings of a butterfly,

descending. "On the path along the cliff that leads

down to the beach, I expect you'll be there by and by."

And here was time, encapsulated in a glance

as all knowing, as all encompassing as the

tip-toe back and forth of the last bastions of hope 

in their crisp and perfectly ironed uniforms.

Reviews

[CD Campbell]

It's truly a sad thing to witness a severing love. With so much fickleness and divorce, one would think that there would be a reprieve from up above for those who have stayed committed. *sigh* But we are all mortal and we know what is due. It is a sad moment, and yet a magical one. It is a wonder to witness this very real moment. Love is real and not a fantasy. I love your rhymes and I love this poem. Great work.

[Lydia Shutter]

All too often I have been the one listening to the drip, drip, drip of the IV attached to a loved one. Yes, time stands still and even though there is hope, it dwindles as the days go on. Very emotional write. Good one. Lydi**

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A beautiful if haunting poem written in lovely verse. The protagonist resists death's entreats as he dons the garb of a loved one and entices her to the edge of darkness with honeyed words!

[Vin]

Thank you for this beautiful work.

Love to you

[Coyote Poetry]

A beautiful and wonderful story shared.
"Then I shall wait for you," she replied, a last kiss,
delicate as the gossamer wings of a butterfly,
descending. "On the path along the cliff that leads
down to the beach, I expect you'll be there by and by."
I love the above lines. You took me with you to new places and I believed. Thank you Beccy for sharing the amazing words and thoughts.
Coyote

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Becky... I have had to grow in poetry to understand the
complexity that ensues when we let our feelings flow. Your words,
""And here was time, encapsulated in a glance"...
'as all knowing, as all encompassing'. You have given us a gift...
and captured what we may feel... when shadows fall and
our Spirit soon will leave to wait in the great beyond. truly, Pat

[barleygirl]

I was reading this quite differently until I got to the "drip-drip-drip" (so well written to subtly show us where this is . . . picking an image that conveys a ton). I love how there's a whole tugging struggle going on in unspoken words, thru a glance. In a very imaginative way, you show us how it is, that most of us will not say all that is said in this poem, we only beseech with our eyes. I love the complexity & the subtlety of your depiction of the deathbed (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[h d e rushin]

"choice is luxury we only think we own.
such arrogance is only for the young
not for those for whom the dice is already thrown"/

How powerful is that? dana

[Gee]

Beautifully written, so sad but at the same time uplifting :))

[Sami Khalil]

A sad, moving story in an elegant and befitting poem. You render us speechless and pained for the loss of a loved one albeit a friend of your parent. To witness death in a glance or more, suffices to be told in million words.