Follow Me Now!

They'd played together since they were young,

They'd grown through puppy love,

Both Michael Merrill and Cathy Powers

Were love-matched, from above.

He'd played the man in their tender dreams

And she, submissive girl,

She'd followed where he had blithely led

In a harsh and a cruel world!

 

As teens they'd necked in the Oldsmobile,

And he'd French-kissed her there,

He'd always wanted to go too far

'Til she had no blush to spare,

They merged together on leather seats

To make just one from the whole,

He came like a thief in the night to her

As her innocence, he stole!

 

He liked the way that she leaned on him,

Destroyed her 'will', and 'won't',

She only had timid questions left

To his answers, and his - 'Don't!'

She felt sublime in his comforting arms

And protected from the world,

But the death of their love had stirred within

Unknown to the simple girl!

 

She woke up sick by the Morning Star,

Felt bilious all the time,

He took her along to a doctor who

Unsettled his troubled mind:

'The baby should be along in March!'

He blanched, as the girl had smiled,

Then hurriedly talked abortion while

His Cathy had sat and cried!

 

The motherly instinct of her race,

Rose up, and lodged in her throat,

She suddenly found what 'will' she had,

The 'will' that would say: 'I Won't!'

She said that he'd have to marry her,

Her father had joined in,

So Michael had wed his childhood pal

But resentment was setting in!

 

The child came between the two of them,

Took most of her precious time,

'Whatever happened to me and you,'

He said, 'to the me and mine?'

'The two is suddenly three,' she said,

'The you and me is 'Us!'

But Michael had fretted and turned away,

There were things that he wouldn't discuss.

 

The years went on and he had affairs,

She would always take him back,

Whenever he landed flat on his face

She'd be there with a cold ice-pack,

He lost his job and she went to work,

She saved them from distress,

But Michael was less than potent now,

And he beat his son to death!

 

She found him hung from a garage beam,

A note was pinned to the chair,

'You've always followed my every word,

Now follow me, if you dare!'

She tied a rope to the self-same beam,

And placed it around her neck,

He couldn't escape her love, it seemed,

Not even by choosing death!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[roarke]

This is epic verse at it's finest. A rare find and an enjoyable read. thanks for sharing it with us.

[KAREN]

Very intense! And every word someone out their could relate to! So good!!

[Doreen]

Oh, wow. I'm speechless. This is so beautifully written and so sad! This brought tears to my eyes. I love your flow and the way you master the imagery. Just wonderful.

[Lena M. P.]

Sounds like she'd follow him to hell if she must. Can't escape her that easily. lol

[Mark]

I don't know which is the greater tragedy, that he hated himself so much that he had to off himself, or that he so despised her that he decided her life would be worthless without him! Self-loathing not enough, he just loathes EVERYTHING! A most macabre tale, David...

[Valentine]

Nothing sadder than a couple that stays together when one loves and the other uses...in this case she lost out in all ways, lost herself, lost her child, and lost her own chance at real love and happiness..Sad what people do to themselves..love and God bless you and lyn, tell her hello for me..Kathie

[Ferg]

i'm with ya now! thanks for the explanation!

[Ferg]

this line throws me:
"But Michael was less than potent now,
And he beat his son to death!"
it makes it sound like he actually beat his son to death, not that he died before him...at least i think that's what you are trying to say.
she was a persistently passive one to the bitter end, wasn't she??

[Ed Hart]

ignorance come full circle

[cartera]

Reads like the old song: Suvla Bay.
Not my cup of tea this one, but then, . . .
ATB
Alex.