Driving Insanity



He complained incessantly
About loyalty and trust
Away for weeks on end
Not seeing his family
Not knowing where she was
While he was on the road
Bringing home the bacon

He whined consistently
Missing his children
Sleeping in the cabin
The truck and the open road
His only companions
Except a mobile phone
And an obsession for messages

Poor poor me! He cried
While she stayed at home
With four children alone
A broken hot water system
Two of her babies struggle
With their hearing aids
And a loss of 70% of sound

Why won't she have me back?
He moans, low into the phone
I work hard, I've tried and cried
Why can't I have another chance?
Eleven years of marriage gone
The kids call to say "Miss you Daddy"
Then mum hangs up, abruptly...

I nodded and I listened
Adding the appropriate "Yes" and "Ahuh"
Quietly absorbing the facts
Listening as the truth unfolds
The truth about the man I trusted
Who told me it was long over with her
Way before we started, and I'm dying....

I'm still dying to listen
Like some kind of morbid fascination
Or pressing a bruise, I stay on the line
Swallowing my agony in silence
Loving ears ignore the lies, I calm my friend
He is not mine, I was a bandage
The sound of changing gears....

I guess I'll let you go then
He says, I'm about to hit a town
Now I'm listening to a strangled voice
Sounding something like my own
Telling him to take care of himself
And that life gets better bit by bit
Thinking I might need some counselling myself.....












Poetry by Purple Phoenix
Read 621 times
Written on 2010-11-11 at 00:41

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Phyllis J. Rhodes
I could sign a relative's name to your poem and not change a word and it would be accurate (also plagiarism). The tone of this work draws hearts to recogize shared pains. You communicate on an emotional level so effectively, scars from long healed wounds, ache. We are all connected in this.
2010-11-12


F.i.in.e Moods The PoetBay support member heart!
These lines

"... Like some kind of morbid fascination
Or pressing a bruise, I stay on the line... "

deeply resonate within me a few familiar moments where I've wondered why I'm still listening, too. The comparisons you used here to describe it pinpoint exactly the wonderment of such a situation, in my view.

The last stanza is so effectual I myself felt a little choked as though I was the one hanging up after this conversation.

This is very well written, it took me right in to the last line. Thanks.
2010-11-11



The feeling never goes away, the voice will always have that power, that power to make the reality seem questionable, to almost convince you there is hope.

This poem taps a kind of emotion that is very hard to express, and you made it seem effortless.

jim
2010-11-11


melanie sue
Excellent work(like all your work-you are gifted in verbal expression). Don't freak-you've always been interesting! :)
2010-11-11


Brian Oarr
"He is not mine, I was a bandage
The sound of changing gears...."

These two lines are like a verbal kick in the shin! You do realize your poetic voice is attaining an accomplished timbre, as you delve deeper into free verse, dont'cha Rache? Don't freak, but you're becoming interesting.

LOL ... and that's a good thing!

Brian
2010-11-11