I was taking out the trash
bills past due and desperate credit card applications
an unopened jar of strawberry jam
my sanity
when the walls of our house stopped breathing
and I asked myself
when did our elephants leave?
you were in the kitchen
like you’d always been
two elbows flanking a bowl of cold oatmeal
reading the comics
a collection of coffee rings on the politics
and you looked up at me
like ten years hadn’t just crawled by us
I sat across from you
like an interrogation
folded my aging hands in my lap
searched for clever words in an
unwrinkled napkin
waited for you to lift your spoon
in some heavy proclamation
but you went on reading
stretched one hand out
like a bridge across our table
and I choked
and I held on for dear life
I’d long ago given up my ability to question
if you’d ever even choose to resurrect me
Gorgeous work here, Nicole Marie. Sad and sweet at once.
Thank you very much, Mark. 🙂
Hell yeah, that’s awesome. I like the photo you used, too.
Thank you, JunkChuck! Glad you enjoyed it.
Beautifully done.
Thank you, Laura. 🙂
Fabulous details that just sucked me in.
Thank you so much!
Oh Nicole….wow. You never cease to amaze. Love your take on the prompt. Beautiful. Xo
Thank you so much, lovely ❤
Amazing. Loved the word choices , really had me excited to read the next line
Thank you, I really appreciate that 🙂
You’re welcome ! And I just realized you look a lot like the character in the girl with the dragon tattoo with that photo!
Lol! I take that as a compliment! Thank you!
Oh for sure Rooney Mara’s gorgeous !
I would resurrect you. With unicorn tears and dragon breath.
both would work instantly. or you could just open a bottle of wine – the sound of the cork would get my heart beating!! 😉
LOL and the sound of wine falling into a glass would bring you to full consciousness.
How have you been? by the way?
I’m doing great thank you! How are you?
Meh, ups and downs like life has sometimes, but nothing absolutely huge. Enough to keep me away from my blogs, though.
Still tending bar? If I ever fly into that airport….
Well I hope all is well on the home front. It’s good to hear from you 🙂 I am! Let me know if you’re ever coming through there, and you got the hook up!
Sweet. You’re one of the truly awesome people on earth
So are you Edward 🙂
Awww thanks
What an exquisitely written piece ! Such an imagery to paint Nicole 🙂
Thank you so very much!! 🙂
Beautiful and evocative of aging relationships…..
Thank you!
This is just great!
Love that last line. You told a story in a poetic way. And i like how you used the question prompt.
Thank you so much!
You have a good balance of the history between these two (like you’d always been) and the gaps in their relationship now (like a bridge across our table). Also, “an unopened jar of strawberry jam”. Love.
Thank you, Nate. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this.
I was loving the line about the jam until I hit the next one, “my sanity,” which I loved even more (two simple words with such strength!), and then the next one took my breath away completely. This whole piece is so vivid (the coffee rings!), so beautifully crafted and feels so familiar, even though it isn’t.
You are very kind! Thank you SO much!
Wow. This was an ooph poem. Mad love.
Thank you, lady 🙂 ❤
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Beautiful! I love the collection of coffee rings on the politics. This truly seems effortless.
Thank you, Amy 🙂
Yay! So glad I’m following you now!