After:
a dismissive day amid the young
random shouting at him out on the road
rolled eyes at him counting his change at the grocery store
people elbowing by him on the street
But before:
checking an answering machine that never has messages
a tv dinner heated up in an old convection oven
playing three hours of solitaire
flipping television channels at 3:00 am
What never dies is seen by none
As he, the aging aching one
Walks painfully to where she sleeps
To lay his rose
And silent
Weep
I didn’t want to like this cause it made me cry! Reminds me of the commercial for “Ceasar Dog Food” where the old man goes with is dog to his dead wife’s grave. Here comes the tears!!