The End of Motherly Love

We were friends of a sort, when we were young

When we grew, I thought he was weak,

Jumping at shadows in shady lanes,

At jokes that were tongue-in-cheek.

He thought that life was a trap for him

And looked for someone to blame,

He could have been so much more, I thought,

Than he was, and that was a shame.

 

His soul was timorous, that was true

But he seemed to attract the girls,

They’d give him a shoulder to cry on, when

He was feeling at odds with the world.

They called him ‘Bobby’, that said it all

When he should have been known as Bob,

He never grew to be Bob, I knew

But won their hearts with a sob.

 

He brought out the motherly instincts in

The girls that he got to know,

They would pet his hair, and say, ‘There there…’

And motion for me to go.

My sweetheart, Carolyn Ainsworth said

That he’d won a place in her heart,

I couldn’t believe she could be so dumb

But her interest tore us apart.

 

I watched as she moved on into his life

And catered for every whim,

He told me not to approach her then,

She was only there for him.

They moved on into a haunted house

On a plot, with a dog outside,

A wooden house with a creaky gate

Where her grandfather had died.

 

They married, out on their own front lawn

Then scurried away inside,

He wouldn’t let her out of his sight

But clung to his captive bride.

I never saw her out on her own

He was always there, like a freak,

And pulled her in, like a dog on a leash

Whenever she tried to speak.

 

I got a note in the mail one day

That was signed by Carolyn,

‘Please come and take me away,’ it said,

‘Oh, what a fool I’ve been!’

I drove on out to the haunted house

But the gate and the doors were barred,

Then she came on out to the balcony,

I could tell she was more than scared.

 

Her eye was blackened and bruised, I saw,

Her lip was swollen and split,

I called ‘Come down!’ and I waved to her,

‘I’ll take you away, my sweet!’

But Bobby came to the balcony

And he dragged her in by the hair,

The doors had slammed and I heard them lock,

And a terrible scream up there.

 

I vaulted over the creaky gate

And I kicked the front door in,

Then made for the central stair, but fate

Was putting paid to his sin.

A shadowy figure had seized him there

And thrust him against the wall,

Then sent him tumbling down the stairs,

He broke his neck in the fall.

 

It stood there, glaring down from the top

Then slowly faded away,

I’d never have met her grandfather

If I hadn’t been there that day.

I took her home and I patched her up

But knew that my love had flown,

I see her now and again, she lives

With him in her haunted home.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[A Soap Mess Stories]

Another great story as always David...

[Lena M. P.]

Well that was spooky to say the least. The whinny baby deserved what he got. Good for grandpa. Repercussions for the mistakes we make in life. Another good one David.

[Woody]

great story David. you've got an undeniable magic touch.
I loved it all the more as I'm a sucker for ghosts and haunted houses.

[s y e]

Your ability to tell stories so well within your poems make me jealous, LOL -- I loved this one!!

[Dennis White]

This is a powerful and moving narrative, you have such a masterful flow in your storytelling, it draws this humble reader in with no regrets. Write on dear poet, Write on !

Dennis

[Cory Barrett]

David you have such a wonderful unmistakable style. Wonderfully to tales through and through.

[Marie]

Weak people are often stronger than y ou think. Bobby had a hold on Carolyn even afer death. I'm sure her grandfather didn't think much of that.

[Brittany Zedalis]

Wow, what a tale. I'm glad I read this. Brilliant work.