Shari's Telling Stories

I saw the signs of
eminent loss headed my way.
And yet all I would do
was close my eyes
and pray for the best
because I was smitten fully.

Broken engagements
cross words unbidden
public displays of
expected affection absent.

Over not one day
but months of instances
climaxing with ill-treatment
for Christmas.

After all that
I still could return, deciding you
unlike other lesser men
would change things.

Even after past attempts
with years passing between
you and me being us
again I’d try, never getting it
but the pattern was set.

After all this
it still came
down to you finally
having to end things.

After weeks of pining
wondering what I did
how I might have changed things;
it occurred to me
to embrace my freedom
because
honest review revealed
without you in the picture
things only got better.

For one not so clever as
to be able to read
the bold print all caps
handwriting on the wall;
painfully it’s so
I must be slow.
Still—
better late than never.

©2009 Shari Lynne Smothers

Prompt: Write a slow poem. Day 18 November 2009 PAD Chapbook Challenge, from Poetic Asides