Driving the quiet old highway
Just after dawn
Cresting the curve
Blackbirds rise from the field
Joining others from memory
Flashes come quickly
The first flutter in the womb
The agonizing tearing away
The hollow loss
Empty hands aching
To hold the little one
Now just a figment
Try to hold onto the wheel
As the car careens toward pastures
Lush with life
The tainted joy still remains
Somewhere deep within
The hope of a future
A chance at redemption
In one little perfect smile
Now wiped away
And no one remembers anymore
Except an empty womb
That still feels the flutters
Gone too soon
On the other side of that hill
On that old highway
As the sun peeks over the hills
Cold Spring Rain
So cold, the spotlight burned through a far corner of the room
As voices recede to a hoarse whisper
She couldn’t see for the gloom
The tears fogging up the years
She knew if he let go the pain would ebb
The memories would fade
Just let go, she thought
And it will all diminish as it should
Don’t make me feel this right now
I’ve been so alone and it was cold but I understood it, she thought
My place forever being in the background, seeing, hearing
But not known by anyone else
But you hold me and it hurts, she said
Because then there’s warmth that makes the cold tingle on my skin
The din of voices returning
She felt fear and panic
Would she have enough left to hold on
Her fingers loosening their tenuous grip
She wanted to stay in the mist
Cold
Alone
Her hand was being squeezed and her arm felt warmer
She felt without looking he was there
Looking at her
Holding on
Hold on
There’s a whole world to see
Join me he said
When she opened her eyes
It was to see a spring rain.


