Wednesday, August 09, 2006

As Long As I Can

I wonder if you’ll love me
when time comes
to wipe away a trail of beef and barley soup
from a shirt someone else buttoned,
to a fissure of lips and forgotten teeth
that once set wild fires raging in your ears.
Will our memories dance in fragrant flower fields,
or become casualties of this war I’ll lose?
Your hand is tender against my cheek,
I’ll press against it, as long as I can.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure you'll end up lonely and alone, but hey, good poem. :)

floots said...

a wonderful terrifying tender thought

cheers

eric l houck jr said...

like a glass of ice on a hot august day. good to be back reading blogs again.

jel said...

That is so sad :( do you need a hugg


take care

dumbdodi said...

Aww...Its so romantic but has a very subtle melancholy to it. Its a scary thought to be by yourself when old I guess. Thank you

polona said...

now where are those tissues again... :)

wonderful poem!

MB said...

Moment to moment, we will press cheek to hand as long as we can and keep the spark kindled that started those wild fires. It's all we can do, it's all we need to do. And it's lovely doing. ...Such a tender, difficult poem.

Pris said...

This is great! Addresses so succinctly the questions we start asking ourselves over time. I mean, didn't the Beatles even ask 'will you love me when I'm 64'

A really good one, Pat! One of your best.

Margie said...

Great poem!
I loved it!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Pat...so romantically sad. What can I say but you pine for lost love. May blessings so sweet as your poetry greet you with the morning sun. Great poem.

Osquer said...

Lucky hand! Lucky cheek! Lucky us that you shared it!

Amalendu said...

Pat, to add,... this poem of yours reminded me of the character Dr. Juvenal Urbino in Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I love this one! (don't know if I'll make it that far, though. :) )

Carol (a.k.a. Lady Wordsmith) said...

For all the forlorn images, this is real love, beautifully done.

You may enjoy reading this poem. It is something I wrote a good while back. Your loverly imagery called it to mind. Again.

dsnake1 said...

tender, terrifying and beautiful.
great stuff!

The Site Administrator said...

Just confiming your reservation for the "Twilight Nursing Home For The Terminally Bewildered" Mr Paulk. And thanks for this moving poem ...

Medusa aka expiringpoet said...

Great poem Pat. Same fears I have, honestly. Nothing worse than being old and unloved isn't it?

Anonymous said...

i can't imagine being in that place

Anonymous said...

Bravo, Pat. This is beautiful work.

I hope I get hit by a train. The thought of being feeble and alone scares the holy hell outta me.

Masago said...

The mettle of true love...reminds me of the Beatles tune "...when I'm sixty-four" (Pat, I'm sure you are writing this in the third person).

Neoma said...

Some people do, some don't, I will hope for the best for you.... :):)

It is a thought provoking piece,

Pat Paulk said...

Got behind in my replies:

Hey, l & a ain't a bad place to be sometimes. But hey, thank you!!

It is Floots. I've seen this with people with alzheimers and dementia. We have to play the cards we're dealt, but it is very sad and touching.

Eric it is good to have you back. Like a pot hole being repaired.

Jel thanks for the hug thought!!

Dumbdodi, a definite melancholy. Thank you!!

Polona I've got some, but you don't want to use mine!! Thank you!!

MB, it is sad to watch the indiscriminate ravages of age. It burns everything away but the radiant core of love. It's either there or not, and when it is, it's beautiful to see.

Thanks Pris!! 64 doesn't seem so old now. I'm sure Paul and Ringo don't think so either.

Thank you Margie!!

Thanks Don!!

Thank you Osquer!!

Shyamalee, I confess I haven't read this, but after reading some reviews, I think I might!! Thank you!!

Andrew, I'm pulling for you!! Of course, none of us know. Thank you!!

Lady Wordsmith, I enjoyed it very much!! Thank you for coming by and commenting.

Dsnake, yes it is. thank you!!

Karasu, I'm definitely terminally bewildered!! I'll go for an assisted living facility, much nicer than a nursing home. They have bingo!! But don't put me out to pasture yet. This "old" bull has a kick or two left.

Medusa, you are right!! And there are too many like that. Thank you!!

Hang around Ruthanne and you will!!

Thanks Rebecca!! Say no to trains!!

Vaughn, as one terminally bewildered, I'm not sure. Yes, the old foggie Beatles. Two of em made it.

Nea, same for you. Thank you!!

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

beautifully done-Sad yet full of compassion-the reality of real love and what it takes

Yasmin Waring said...

I keep coming back to this.
Out of fear. Out of familiarity.

And I try to find hope and strength in the last lines.

Regardless, it is beautiful and a tad devastating in its honesty.