David's Farewell

Walking along the clouded path,
Following the scent of flowers;
Listening to rolling waters,
Rushing crystal clear down the stream-
Tumbling over rocks in a dream.

Hiking, your happy smile flashes,
You laugh, we talk of many things.
Our children, our life and our love -
Strolling along the path, my thoughts
Tumbling over rocks in a dream.

Wearing your khaki shorts, but your
Standard buttoned shirt now a black
Short-sleeved tee with a high crew neck.
I remember this struck me odd,
Tumbling over rocks in a dream.

A forest devoid of color,
Black shale path underneath our feet
I spot brown boulders, a lit path
Leading toward rushing water
Tumbling over rocks in a dream

As I reached the worn path’s entrance
With bright blooming flowers, I crouched,
Face upturned, smiling to my love-
You disappeared, vanished at night,
Tumbling over rocks in a dream.

The path to pure running water
Spilled into dissolute blackness.
Only love's flower vibrant show
Remained by the path to the stream,
Tumbling over rocks in a dream.

2/9/2017

30 lines

Context ▼

This was a dream I had in June 2001; David died 9/5/2001. This is the only written record of it. We were walking along the railroad path in Carbondale near the Falls – Rails for Trails – I wanted to show him the path to the water, the stream, and he disappeared. The strangest thing about this dream was that he was wearing a black tee shirt with a short crew neck and short sleeves; we walked and laughed and talked and he was very like himself, like the man I married and once loved, the father of my children. We talked a lot about our girls, especially about Jaime – he was very worried about her.

I still remember the bright bunch of flowers growing near the brown gray rocks at the path entrance to the rolling stream. At the bottom of the path was a beautiful green grassy patch that I saw in the dream and wanted to show him. On our walk, I told him about it. When I crouched down to the bright blooming Spring flowers and then turned to tell him about the path, he was gone.

He disappeared – he could not stay; he was dying, but I didn’t know.

Contest ▼

Honorable Mention in Round 44 of "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest"  2/2017