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The woman was me
broken and bleeding
from needing to see him
weeping and hurt deep within
reeling and feeling
my life’s up in smoke
each hazy day in shades
of black to gray
like ashes from a hit
I wanted to quit
I’d say . . .
this is my last
try to mend fences
broken by mistake
—What would it take
for him to respond?—
chances were slim
it was plain to see
he was content with life
—with her?—without me
but each word written
like a baby’s first steps
led to another as I held fast
desperate for the reason why
he was being so cold
I ached for him so
I wouldn’t let go
just couldn’t get past
his final plea
. . . I don’t want this to be goodbye . . .
I thought he meant it, silly me.
Copyright © 2002 Patricia Petro • All rights reserved.
Painting: “Web of Light” by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, original digital art, 2000.