From Winamop.com

Old Romeo Puts His Bible Down by Donal Mahoney


 

 

Almost toothless now,

old Romeo puts his Bible down,

relaxes in his rocker,

pours brandy in his snifter

and scribbles in his ledger

memories of Mary,

dead some 40 years now.

 

When Romeo was young

and dark and dashing, Mary

was the perfect foil.

He can see her dancing

and hear her laugh, a note

no mockingbird would try.

He tells his chauffeur,

 

"Bring the car around.

I need to buy a diving board

for the swimming pool.

The doctor says I'm terminal.

Six months, he says.

I want to dive in Mary's eyes

tonight and drown."

 


a black line

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