The Old Man's Monologue

 

(A lone voice whispers)

In the twilight hours

Just when the grey clouds

Break and the slow moon rises

Silently announcing it's getting too late

I still always wake to remember that auburn hair girl

I once used to date

In the fifties 

Her bright-green eyes 

And twinkling wide smile

All things 

Young boys dream of 

And for them

To go that extra mile

But like all things that came to pass

Our love withered the night her beloved pa died

I tried to hold her hands 

To console her

Prayed God would wipe away all those wet tears she cried

But that new hole in her arm

Which soon swallowed up

All our hard worked for gold

Always left me feeling lonely and cold

It all ended that fateful night

On June the first 

When the rains fell

And life was a constant fight and everything seemed on top

Filled with thirst

With my wallet and her purse empty

She got that feeling 

To go stealing

Only to get shot dead by the cops

I can still see her now even after all these sad passing years

Now I'm old and grey  

Sat in this nursing home

Feeling all alone and filled with so many dry tears

I guess those memories of my youth will still linger and will never stop

It's quite crazy now that I'm on morphine to ease the pain

That those images of her standing in the kitchen

With those beautiful green eyes and wide beaming smile

Cooking and singing 

While outside it rained

Still play around the cinemas

In my brain

As I even now 

At seventy-five 

Remember 

Echoes of my first and last love

My beloved wife and lifelong addiction 

Called Mary Jane

My love for you 

Wherever you are

Until we are once more 

Reunited

Will always remain

The same 

If you can hear this

Just know I still treasure those memories of us

The ones where you were free and truly alive

Like the day we first met

When we walked and talked

Singing outside misty-eyed

Just like another two young strangers

In true love 

Getting wet

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

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