September

Years wrapped into a handkerchief
of forgetting. Lover, husband, friend,
father of my children—an enigma forged
by your father and those who came before you.
I looked at you in the embers of our promises,
misread needs you didn’t understand,
mislabelled instances of extreme sadness.
How could I not recognize gentleness when
you reached out, time and again, shy as a mimosa.
“Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow”
They were singing your song, my tender friend,
and only now I realise that behind the wall
you built from cynicism and laughter,
were tears I failed to dry.

*

Rose Mary Boehm is a German-born British national living and writing in Lima, Peru, and author of two novels as well as eight poetry collections. Her poetry has been published widely in mostly US poetry reviews (online and print). She was three times nominated for a ‘Pushcart’ and once for ‘Best of Net’. DO OCEANS HAVE UNDERWATER BORDERS? (Kelsay Books July 2022), WHISTLING IN THE DARK (Cyberwit July 2022), and SAUDADE (December 2022) are available on Amazon. Also available on Amazon is a new collection, LIFE STUFF, published by Kelsay Books November 2023. rose-mary-boehm-poet.com