Accordingly

God rest your soul mom. I love you forever.

sitting at a sighing bedside

holding your succumbing hand

the very life slipping through your fingers as well as mine

and 'neath my favorite tree

i wept not for what was

but rather for what would no longer ever be

vacant and alone

accordingly

Author's Note

"We are ever dying to one world and being born into another." - Thoreau

Reviews

[Davidgeo]

Good job on writing tragedy in a way I think most of us will be, if not already, forced to think about. We begin our relationship with life the same way we begin our relationships with our loved ones, (hopefully) with optimism and the expectation of growth and continuation... but eventually, there is an inescapable inevitability. I think deep down inside of us all, we can empathize with each other on this if only subconsciously... and in that sense no one is truly alone to me. We are all in this together, we all 'win' the same exact prize. Everyone shares at least one thing in life, and that is death. Some 'win' a little sooner than others but, we shouldn't be too sad for long... we should celebrate the time that we had with the time that we have left before we 'win' our own prize.

[Pete]

ah, to contemplate mortality. the inevitability of death. i take little solace though in the fact that it will befall all of us eventually. seems some of us deserve it more and others less but who am i to judge (an entirely different matter). perhaps acceptance is a sign of maturity but never easy. we often see each other as invincible, permanent fixtures. thank you for the wonderful, intelligent share ... :)

[Davidgeo]

We all deserve it. If you were born, you deserve to die... that is the cost of living. I don't think of everything in terms of acceptance or rejection... sometimes you just gotta let things go as neutrally as possible. Even the most extreme wrongs... they dissolve, become nothing. Holding the grudge is paying for something you already bought in that case.

[Davidgeo]

Sorry... I went on there a little too long with my self righteousness. It's a sign of a good poem... way to go!!

[Pete]

good points ... :)

[Davidgeo]

I'm sorry about your mother by the way. That was the first thing I wanted to mention but I got caught up in my bs. My mother is getting older, I am anticipating the pain lately, and this poem was helpful.

[Pete]

thank you. as she was beginning to fail, I found myself thinking about her and the past more and more - probably nature's way of preparing us. it's very hard watching the people who raised you needing help themselves. we come into the world in diapers and go out the same way ... :)

[Davidgeo]

Ah yes, the theory of retrogenisis... once an adult, twice a child... or once in pants, twice in diapers... or... I don't know, there's a few more of them. It's good to have family that cares about you, imagine doing the ending completely on your own. Oh my god that is objectively terrifying.

[Davidgeo]

... i failed to show real sympathy in that reply. I apologize. I'm not totally devoid of empathy, it just hurts me a little bit more than it should to display so I always deflect. This is also how you describe an a*****e or a selfish jerk. I'm sorry and I'm trying to be a better human.

[Thomas W Case]

Powerful and beautiful Pete.

[Pete]

... like her ... thank you ... :)

[Betty Hermelee]

A beautiful poem about what is now and that is love, caring, sensations and more...but we all worry about about what will be... when our partner passes...we will be alone... this means a lot to me because my hubby is nine years older than me... and I know there will be a void ...not looking forward to....
Well done Pete
Warmly, B

[Pete]

thank you b. we cannot live freely and fully whilst worrying about death. everything in due season.

"On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend's life also, in our own, to the world. - Thoreau

[Betty Hermelee]

But its' hard!!! You're very welcome Pete...
Warmly, B

[Pete]

.... !!!!!!!!! ...

[Pete]

my dad was nine years older than my mom ... :)

[Betty Hermelee]

very interesting! My daughter-in-law is 9 years older than my son!!!

[Chris Shaw]

Your lines touched me to the core Pete. The void my own mum has left will never be filled. Partings are so damn painful. Sorry for your loss.

Chris

[Pete]

thank you chris. yes, you said it all, "damn painful". keep safe and well dear poetess ... :)

[Chris Shaw]

And you too Pete:)

[Einstein Noodle]

sorry for the loss you feel, Pete. i think your poem reflects the love you had for your Ma and the repeated title in your closing tells me a lot about the acceptance of life .. sad but so beautiful
E.

[Pete]

not an easy thing. thank you e. ... :)

[Einstein Noodle]

no ... :( ...........

[Dave Brown]

I have often wondered why the hell we we were born if we just end up dying and look at the f*****g mess we have created while being here

[Pete]

well, i don't think that was according to original plan. the fall from grace was further, steeper, longer and sicker than anyone could have ever possibly imagined. we had other ideas and look where it's gotten us. i don't even like watching the news anymore ... :)