Tony Harrison, "Long Distance II"

[truepenny]

Long Distance II

Though my mother was already two years dead
Dad kept her slippers warming by the gas,
put hot water bottles her side of the bed
and still went to renew her transport pass.

You couldn't just drop in. You had to phone.
He'd put you off an hour to give him time
to clear away her things and look alone
as though his still raw love were such a crime.

He couldn't risk my blight of disbelief
though sure that very soon he'd hear her key
scrape in the rusted lock and end his grief.
He knew she'd just popped out to get the tea.

I believe life ends with death, and that is all.
You haven't both gone shopping; just the same,
in my new black leather phone book there's your name
and the disconnected number I still call.

--Tony Harrison
Continuous, London: Rex Collings, 1981

Comments

[touch-of-ink.livejournal.com]

This really speaks to me. Maybe it's just because my ex-husband died a month ago and our 16 year old son is in denial.

Or maybe it would speak to me anyway, because it's a full of heart poem.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful. Thank you for posting it.

[mimine.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous poem.

Makes me glad my father remarried 3 years after my mom passed, actually. It's what I wanted for him.