The Theory of Everything and Nothing

By Silver Spun Sand

Sun, 28 Feb 2016
  • 2861 reads
12 comments
 
Polly carefully carries him in, in her pink, 
pubescent arms, swaddled with 
 
someone else’s tea-towel; belongs, 
or so she said, to the public house next door.  
 
Apparently, they saw it happen; heard
the screech of brakes...  
 
coming home for his tea, as he always did
at five o'clock, regular as clockwork.
 
From now on, nothing is the same...
forever tainted....
 
the stretch of road outside the window
the view to the fields beyond...
still thick...white with frost
 
like tomorrows and their tomorrows
as yet, untranslated.  Nothing is as it was;
 
not the cupboard beneath the sink
not the ledge on the redbrick garden wall
 
not the shrubs...not the bushes
not the fork in the willow
 
not the hearth, not the second to last
stair from the top
not the upstairs landing
 
not the chair in the kitchen
where he’d sleep – legs akimbo
with Polly’s old, 
rag-doll.
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Philosophy
Love
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Sim on

Well-crafted and chilling! Did this really happen?

Sim

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Yes, sadly it did, Sim.  His name was Black Magic, actually...plain Magic for short.  No prizes, though, as to what colour he was, with a touch of white thrown in for good measure.

Thank you for reading, and for sharing your thoughts.

Tina

 

 

Submitted by Sim on

So sorry to hear that, Tina. A particular incident, but universal feelings of loss so beautifully expressed.

Sim

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Sim

 

Submitted by celticman on

negaton, not the part that is missing, but the trust you miss.Sad. 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

I guess so.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

It was so sad to read this poem Tina, you captured the dreadful loss that's felt knowing there's no way back to the way things were. As always I hope I got your poem right.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

You got it...spot on.  Many thanks, Jenny.

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Never had a dog, always wanted one, I'm sure the loss would be almost unbearable. Did some years ago lose a very dear pet, he had belonged to my mother, so even more of a loss. You sum up the feelings very well.

Lindy

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

I've had quite a few dogs, but I'm definitely a 'cat' person...and this cat was so very special.  Many thanks for your words.

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

in a nut-shell, the place of a well-loved pet as part of life's landscape for a while, and how the shock of any big change affects the scenery around oneself. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

'Life's Landscape'...a wonderful way of putting it, Rhiannon.  But then you do have such a way with words.

Tina