Rolled over for a cuddle
Forgot I was a widow
Swear I felt you 
Get in bed last night
Could almost hear you breathing
But then the sun came up
Only to expose the pile of pillows
On your side of the bed

The sun has come and gone
Thirteen times this week
The sound in my ears
Is the vibration of the earth
In the quiet of the day
It reaches a high pitch 
When darkness comes
And I pull the curtains closed

Today the frozen rain
Hits my windows hard
I try not to eat too much
But wander from room to room
Without getting anything done
Your closet is still full of shirts
I cannot bear to pack
And dust is gathered in your shoes

You’re never coming back
Oh, by the way
I eat in the kitchen now
Instead of the living room sofa
Watching television
It makes me feel like a person
With a place mat and silverware
In the correct places


January 9, 2022
©Diane E. Dockum