-- Love in Shadows --

­­John Herlihy

The reasons for the arguments disappear,

The sweetness of the sentiments remain.

My lonely heart sits on the tip of a spear,

A fond loving memory now my only gain.

A fading memory returns but feels empty,

Time’s arrow never stays behind to wait.

Lasting sorrow stays behind to tempt me,

Her precious memory woven into my fate.

Once, our heads whispered on fluff pillows,

Of our passions, our fears, and our dreams.

Instead, the love lingers behind in shadows,

Memory no longer to know what it means.

A deep love that could never be fulfilled,

Blocked by fate, even with so much care.

Loving tenderness that came freely willed,

Her happiness now my enduring prayer.

In the aftermath of a storm, wind dies down,

The leaves may still fall, but are falling slow.

A faint smile moves in to replace my frown,

Only winter’s chill can craft beauty in snow.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Wednesday 2 December 2020