The poem in inspired by Linda Pastan's memorable poem The Five Stages of Grief...
Goodbye, Grace
You’ve made up your mind
To leave your past behind
You are moving on
Easily, swiftly
I can see it in your eyes
As you walk away
Into the night
Those words lingering in the air
Goodbye, Grace
I wonder what this means
Did you just walk out on me?
On us?
Did our forever just turned to never?
I stared, I glared, I seethed at the door
The door that dared close behind you
Night turned to dawn, I didn’t budge
Nor did the door
You, didn’t walk back in
I ran errands for your arrival
Baked. Cooked. Cleaned.
Your favorite pie. Pasta on sauce. Your morning coffee.
Oh! The toast burnt a little, I apologize
I was a little pre-occupied.
I jolt awake in the night
The air just got chillier
Wasn’t this the mid-summer?
Or was that three months ago,
the day the damn door closed behind you?
Something perfect’s in the closet
Your favorite woolen shirt
Still smells of you,
It’s faint, but it’s you
And there’s the bottle of Old Spice on the cabinet
The towel still lays on the floor
Where you threw it that morn
You are as careless today, I hope…
Or is it different?
Have you changed? Are you…happier?
Do you also tell her about ‘forever’?
I think the clouds are clearing, yes, its clearer now
I remember
It was raining that night
And you had made up your mind
To leave your past behind, to leave me behind
The dreaded words were heard
‘We need to talk’
I tried to stall, ‘How about dinner first?’
Oh then I saw it, it had me undone
That look in your eyes!
Nothing but pity for your wife
I stood tall, smiled my bravest smile
I laugh alone now, thinking of your fidgeting hands,
Your eyes cast down, a frown on your brow when you said
Things just aren’t the same
Hadn’t been for a while I had noticed
There was no Honey, I’m home
No Missed you the whole day
I daren’t ask what’s wrong
In fear to hear, ‘YOU’
I smiled when you said
‘It’s not you, it’s just me’
Oldest line in the book
And you were so easily off the hook
Move on Grace they say
It’s not worth it
I know, I yell
But here I am, same old plain
Grace
Waiting by the door,
Yes, the same one YOU closed behind
Still waiting here to hear
I’m home, Grace…
