The Ring

Enduring memories of a broken heart

 

The Ring

 

 

I was busy working with my hands

And then I heard a familiar

Metallic click on my left

It had a familiar ring

And when I noticed

my ring finger

it was there

again.

 

A ring

My ring

My wedding ring

I wondered how it got there?

I hadn’t worn it

In several years.

 

Perhaps I had forgotten

Did I put it on again and forget?

Was I dreaming?

I had to look again

Yes, that’s my wedding ring all right.

 

But wait…

There was a new inscription emblazed upon it.

The words sparkled

As if written by fire

Reflecting a new light etched in white gold.

Dazzling like the sun

Causing me to squint

 

The inscription read:

“Michael, I love you.  I shall always.”

These words she said to me

I remember

with a yellow ring of innocence,

 

An old truth pledged from youthful heart

faded by time

but some how rekindled

as if by lightening

 

I was staggered

I had to catch my breath.

Is this possible?

After all these years…

Is she trying to resuscitate,

Our faded love

Did she replace it there?

 

Is that it?

I removed the ring for a closer perusal

It was real…

But wait…

There was something else

Inscribed.

 

His initials

 

Some one tried to scratch them off

But they held their guilty marks

Tenaciously and with angry resolve

And so indelibly legible

Were they.

 

She tried to remove them

As if with a fretful conscience

But they were regrettably permanent

Scarred into the metal.

 

He too wore her ring.

 

Did she try to erase his intials

And slip this ring back on to me?

As if I would not notice?

As if I could pretend?

 

The ring lost

All of its power

In that moment

and forever.

It wasn’t special anymore.

 

So why does it keep coming back

To me

In my dreams?