The Passing

The change, it comes so slowly

Like the winter of our lives,

It encroaches while we’re playing,

While we’re laughing with our wives,

As the children wave goodbye

The first brief chill will still the air,

And that silence settles on us

As they turn, and close the door.

 

Then we stare long at each other

But we find no words to say,

You have been the faithful mother

That I married, back some way,

But I see your smile has faded

With the passing of the years,

And you turn your face away so I

Won’t see that trace of tears.

 

Are you thinking of that moment

When you held that new born child,

Of the joy of those first steps, or of

The day your baby smiled?

And the schooling and the learning

And the knees they brought home skinned,

Or the pride you took each time you watched

That graduation film.

 

While I find my own thoughts turning

To those days before we wed,

To your awesome, breathless beauty

As you passed, and turned my head,

Of that first-time kiss I savoured

Out beneath the apple tree,

When I took you to my heart, and you

First said you wanted me.

 

Now we’re grey, and more like shadows

Since the lust in us has died,

And we rarely touch each other

Since we turned to ash inside,

For the years of work and struggle

Took their toll on you and I,

And I hear you every evening as

You go outside to cry.

 

All those dreams that ended shattered,

All those hopes that turned to tears,

Here we sit, both disillusioned

With the tolling of the years,

And we pass our friends unseeing

As we wander in the street,

We are ghosts, a long time passing

Now our story is complete.

 

We are like the leaves of autumn

That have fallen from the trees,

Blowing through our days unspoken

With each passing, gentle breeze,

We will fade and be forgotten

In the long term way of things,

But we’ll cling in desperation for

What each last moment brings.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Deborah Brooks-Langford]

David.. wow..another poem that tears my heart out. geezzz I am in those years... this poem means so much to me.. gee can i explain???? how time takes away so much from our lives..from being disillusion to so many tears... wishing we could have love back the way it used to be... wow.. what can I say... GREAT WRITING... I LOVE IT... You just not know how much,.. I am a new fan of yours...

Debbie

[Tarry Franck]

Very touching piece and sad. Beautifully expressed.

[patricia]

This is sad and touchingly beautiful as if one is thinking of their partner while the other is thinking of their children. Familiarity has bred its contempt and with a little tweaking I longed whilst reading to see a renewal and search for the good in the present. There seems to be a cross road in older life where one must choose between love and bitterness. Its never too late I hope. Or maybe that is just the old sentimental me resisting acceptance again. Loved this. Thanks.

[Revolutionary]

Very nice.Not the spooky you I long to read,but I liked it all the same.She must be a great lady and mother

[Manpreet]

Beautifully expressedjourney of life . Each word rounds of the changing faces of life. what we are left and what we left. As usual another great piece from 'The Paget treasure".

[ms. barrie]

This poem is so exquisitely depicts such poignancy, your words never fail to amaze me, incredible write. thanks for sharing

[Sanjeeta Sharma Pokhar..]

Your poem portrays the thoughts of cycle- Cyclic-ity of life. All that surrounds us is- Illusion. We are always deluded by the surroundings- but we seldom get a chance- to know- that we are empty, inside!!!
Your poem inspired me :) I am blessed.

[Valentine]

This happens to some couples..but they do not have to..My brother still travels with his wife..they go to Florida and Texas to visit their kids and vise versa..They enjoy spoiling the grand kids and now have them to buy for and spoil..life can be grand until one passes on..if they put their soul into it..Nice job on this one David..I ho0pe Lyn is still warm and loving to you..Kathie

[the_stoic]

the transition ./. this couldn't have been described in a better manner sir !

[Marie]

Ghosts before they even die...solidity turned to shadows...very sad...

[Lena M. P.]

Some folks can't handling the empty nest because they built their entire lives around their children and once they are gone, the couple is then lost. It is at this point in their lives that they need to find something that makes them feel wanted and needed. Hopefully that is together but if not, then they should do it separately. At least it would give each of them something to talk about and share. You captured this so potently.