Tear Stained Letter

The letter lay unopened

Sealed with time and age

Written long ago

When he'd left in a  rage

White vellum now yellow

A thirteen cent stamp

Handwritten addresses

Seen under a lamp

She never saw it

Till she finally moved

That heavy sideboard

That he never approved

Fingers now trembled

Envelope falls to the floor

He left that night

She saw him no more

I love you, I need you

The letter read slow

I want to make up

You need time I know

It read: I’ll wait at the café

Where you stole my heart

If you can forgive me

We can make a new start

I won’t cause you pain

If your answer is no

I’ll slip out of town

So my pain it won’t show

Her tears fell like rain

As she looked at her son

Five years since that day

Oh what had she done

Her stubborn pride wounded

She stayed home that night

Told herself it didn’t matter

After there last big fight

She heard he had died

In a road crash forlorn

Swallowed her pride

When her baby was born

In the envelope a picture

An old black and white

Of a bride and her groom

On their wedding night.