A line cast, a hope followedSunday, September 04, 2005
To Drown You Out
There are six voices in my house now
Sometimes they all talk at once.
I must remember my checkbook tomorrow
I will buy that artist's photo-
Bright faces to smile back at me from the wall
As I take a load of laundry down the stairs.
We need crickets and cat food
and a prescription refill.
So there is plenty to do and no lack of laughter
Or good food
And I meant it when I said "thank you God" at grace tonight
I'm neither lonely nor ungrateful
Nor unaware of the misfortunes of so many people this week.
But don't deceive yourself.
Your absence seeps in amongst the events and the faces
So that when I find myself awake at four,
Watching the debris of our relationship
Float by in this vast pooling of loss,
I can't decide if I should cling
Or hold the memories under
Until waterlogged they sink.
There are six voices in my house now
Sometimes they all talk at once.
I must remember my checkbook tomorrow
I will buy that artist's photo-
Bright faces to smile back at me from the wall
As I take a load of laundry down the stairs.
We need crickets and cat food
and a prescription refill.
So there is plenty to do and no lack of laughter
Or good food
And I meant it when I said "thank you God" at grace tonight
I'm neither lonely nor ungrateful
Nor unaware of the misfortunes of so many people this week.
But don't deceive yourself.
Your absence seeps in amongst the events and the faces
So that when I find myself awake at four,
Watching the debris of our relationship
Float by in this vast pooling of loss,
I can't decide if I should cling
Or hold the memories under
Until waterlogged they sink.
