“On Glimpsing Suzie”
Random thoughts occasioned by seeing a former girlfriend (whom I did not recognise at first) and letting the flock of thoughts fly loose. I told her I’ve written it – I don’t think she’s seen it – I might ‘go dark’ for some time till I recuperate 🙂
Idling down to Sunday market
One eye on the level crossing
Mulling buying grapes and garlic
Maybe back to church – worth going?
Yes, no. Yes, no. Yes, no…. No. No.
A slender woman at the kerb
Waited for the lights to change
Unperturbed by helter skelter
Crazy pell mell pavement riders
Mums and dads and kids and dogs
Darting headlong into traffic
Wore lissom grace that mean street life
And modern stress had not erased
Such women! Beautiful women!
I’d loved too many recklessly
I thought I’d love to love again
Maybe I could…could love again
No…there might be too much pain.
She did not see me as I passed
Her thoughts were on her family
Or food, or friends or holidays
But I saw her. And I knew her
We loved each other years ago
And parted like stale lovers do
I ought to stop and say hello
And risk rekindling what we shared
But seedless grapes and garlic thoughts
Brought me back to earth again
I quietly sighed as I rode by
No. No. Yes. No. No. The pain.
Loved this, the interaction of garlic, Church and rekindling romance in a busy market place, and the self conflict rampant in your thoughts was fascinating to read. Sue.
Thanks, Sue – I’m trying to paint a half second’s tumble of thoughts.
Well, Sue – this simple piece has had over 7 incarnations – numerous word casualties litter the ‘floor’ of my docs file – why do we put ourselves through this torment? ha ha 🙂
I tried to marshall the flying flock thoughts by writing this in the same metre as Auden’s “Night Mail” – I’ll maybe do a free verse version 🙂