Love of my life – Part 14 – A poem

Love of my life – Part 14 (the end) – A poem by P.K. Odendaal – July 2019

When she has found that I'm still around

I wondered whether I should give it a try
Excitement still reigns in stead of my brains
As we want to know how things might still go.

But my previous conviction prevented benediction

As I knew an old flame just gives off smoke and shame
So I waited until fate started knocking at my gate
To show me how to handle this without a row

So, after many a moon it was opportune

To take stock of things which pleasure brings
As this was the stuff of dreams and not of other petty things
And the dream was true in my point of view

Warning me once again of grief and pain

More than I have met in bygone days and still regret
Telling me at last that our youth was past.

And now as I say goodbye I cannot deny

That the thing we had, made me feel bad
And  that things didn't go right as we thought they might
After we have said our lines too many times

And hoping our hearts would not end up in shards,

but that parts should remain to keep us from shame
As the decision we made will one day cascade
to lower the price of our sacrifice

And increase our joy for being so coy

So it suited us well when we were able to tell
How we intend this thing should now end

Not as abrupt as before, but by saying a bit more

Trying to understand the real facts at hand
With enough compassion not to consume the moment of bloom
That made me a friar at the altar of fire
But not making room for the prophet of doom.

Goodbye and good health in this moment of wealth

For there is no doubt of how things will turn out
When we are alone for our acts to atone.

It pains me to say we can't wait for one day

When we are feeble with age and our faces a well written page
But I won't see you so if very old you grow

As it is better to long for a very old song

Than to sing it false in the middle of a waltz
Far better to remember a sunny December
Than to do what you're told when the winter is cold.