©2021

faintly sundown

The heat/warmth of a welcome exhaustion wash over me.

Sun and day is fading slowly into a misty sunset. Off to the left, far down in the deepest reach of the pasture the night dew starts to rise….drifting ghostly contrails float skywards.

My eyes are drawn to the setting sun, now a faintly defined orb, in the haze.

The chill is suddenly palpable as I rest, legs crossed at the ankles, worn cowboy boots caked in mud and dust.

Leaning back and into the supports that reach up to the porch overhang, I hear the tendrils of your lilting laughter.

‘Autumn Leaves’ whisper-sung by Eva Cassidy wafts out from the cool darkness of the cabin.

Duntz, the border collie mutt mix, lies beside me on the old warm boards of the porch. His paws occasionally stretch out to lightly touch my thigh, as he wants to remind that he’s there and he’s my ever friend.

My hand grips tightly to the tumbler carrying the blessed glass of hope….

And my thoughts reach out and around all the memories of you I hold dear to my heart. The ache, always there, always present, in my heart thrums against my rib cage.

And the singular question that haunts my every waking moment is

‘Why? Why so soon?’

And on most every level of intellectuality I recognize the futility of the question.

That you’re gone, now and forever, brings a constant mist to my eyes and deep penetrating pain to my heart….

Too young….so too very young – unfulfilled. And I ache and I hurt to hear your voice again.

Sun slips back and away into the coveting mist and as twilight is flushed about me, I wonder why, am I, still……

©michael moore 2020