Marah
Rutland, United Kingdom
Poet’s statement
It seems only yesterday my beloved died. Months have passed and life is moving on, whether I want it to or not. This poem solidified itself in my mind as I felt caught between having to move on, while still desperately clinging to all he meant to me.
Leaving you behind
My love, I am leaving you behind.
The ship of my life sails on.
I cannot wave goodbye,
And the image I conjure of you
Blurs in my mind without the sparkle
Of ideas and fun and love
That shot from you like fireworks.
As I plod through the year
A growing pile of memories
Are filed without you,
And what I hold of you
Trickles like water from my hands.
Forgive me, love. I ache
But cannot take you with me.
This betrayal is as certain
As sunrise or the next full moon,
Life goes on, they say,
So I leave you behind
And like an old photograph, you fade.
MARAH is a practicing doctor who writes poetry as a hobby to cope with the loss of her husband. To keep a barrier between her personal and professional life she writes under a pseudonym—Marah. This was also the name taken by Ruth’s mother-in-law in the Bible, when she lost her husband and sons.
About the photographer
Benjamin Haile has a studio in Chicago. He specializes in headshots and portraits and enjoys taking photos on wilderness hikes. Benjamin can be contacted through his website at www.BenjaminHailePhoto.com.
Highlighted in Frontispiece Volume 3, Issue 2 – Spring 2011