Footsteps

The tea half drunk,

The tags ripped off,

The room now empty,

Save me and my memroy.

I shiver despite the heater,

My body confused.

Calm now,

Angry now,

Fearing the future now.

The night will be sleepless,

My mood never fixed.

Take the pictures down quick.

Remove the words you wrote,

Not so long ago.

"I miss you already."

Now new words:

"Goodbye, Charlie."

Oh, why must you use my name?

Why must you say it with those red eyes?

Why must you hold me so long?

And now I hear footsteps on the porch,

And I hope.

I listen for the door,

Anticipate the key I gave you.

I imagine an embrace, 

Imagine words of regret,

Barely heard through sobs.

The footsteps are still now,

I hear the keys shake.

For three moments I wait,

Before the neighbor's door opens,

And the footsteps disappear.

Reviews

[Bonaventure Onuabuchi]

It's hard to hear "BYE" from peoples we love; especially when this is really meant.

[MomzillaNC]

Heartbreaking… we always keep expecting that missing person to walk back through the door. It's so hard when it's a breakup. We go through the same mourning as loss from a death, but without the social tools to help us through the loss. We're left floundering… You're poem really illuminates that sense.

[1Disawsum]

I can feel exactly what you are trying to get us to feel, immediately seized me in with those words. Loved the ending, reaching the quick climax then the ending, that leaves you wanting more. Very good write, I loved the work of art you just created!

[KeeD]

That anticipation, the rush of emotion in those 3 seconds is what captured me.. making this piece all too real. Loved the way it expressed itself and it leaves you thinking about a lot of things there on after. Great write.

[paul sal.....]

When a similar tearing of the heart happened to me I almost drove into a wall; i instead started a lifelong infatuation with barley and hops; I hope you fared better.

[Sami Khalil]

I imagine an embrace,

Imagine words of regret,

Barely heard through sobs.




The footsteps are still now,

I hear the keys shake.

[Onyia-Ali, Kingsley Chu..]

Well structured. I appreciate the last three line. Its a form of denouement.