Leftover after everything’s been
Said, shared, savored
All the besides wasted under the skin
Beneath the not knowing
The filling in of details for myself
Beyond physical distance
Crass substitute for closeness that had been
And I will be, undoubtedly
A thing in the periphery
A “besides”, not so much a part of you
As I once was
Crawling along side these newnesses,
Prized moments that replace me
Floored by wretching envy
Of all that’s naturally you now
Besides, if you’ve changed at all
I’d be the last to know
The first to fall
Just flip the tape over
And play the rest of what I never said
Now that I’m gone
written in 2006
Posting a poem a day for National Poetry Month has been an equally uplifting and unsettling task. I’m not just reading the words; I’m recalling the act of writing them. This one attempts a pun with beside and the B-side of a cassette tape. For my younger readers, the picture will help you imagine what came before CD’s… I hope kids still know what those are!
Writer's Growth 