Tag Archives: marriage

Walking With My Lover’s Ghost

by

walk with me
I hear her softly plead
come
walk with me

and so I rise and go
take the hand that isn’t there
feel the joy in her smile
the smile only my heart can see
hear the memory of her gleeful calls
her waves to passing children
as she scampers to greet them

hugging close
faces glowing in the morning sun
a gentle breeze caresses us
sitting on our seaside bench

I kiss her tenderly
taste the love upon her lips
inhale the sweet scent of her soul
embrace the grace that made us one
blessed us

touching the emptiness beside me
tears slide down my cheeks

come
I plead
walk with me

and I rise again
move on

walking with my lover’s ghost

tio stib

You might also appreciate: You Will Always Be My Valentine; My Dementia Diary

Old Men Walking Dogs

by 
I meet a lot of old men walking dogs
sometimes we stop and talk a bit
how’s it going? 
what’s your dog’s name
Charlie
Galahad
Spook
one guy is a poet who offers his daily verse
I listen, smile, and pet Rocky

continuing on, I wonder
should I get a dog?
do I need a dog?
my daughter thinks so
she’s always urging me 
you need a pet
something to fill the hole in your life
the emptiness from losing your wife

yes, I concur
there is a hole
certainly an emptiness
but there is also a deep, rich
feeling of gratitude
that I was blessed to have had
even for a short time
the bliss of perfect love

I do like dogs
have had a few over the course of years
but these beautiful creatures require, yes need
a certain kind of responsible care
and you can’t just lay them off on your kids
like grandchildren
when you tire and can’t keep up your end of the deal

so I do my morning walks alone
greet the other old men passing by
pet their dogs
and walk on

but I’m never alone

love is always with me now


tio stib

You might also enjoy: Walking With My Lover’s Ghost; Life in reverse by George Carlin

Missing

by 
do I miss her laughing voice

yes 
my heart cries out
straining to hear her call in the silence

do I miss the rose petal scent of her softness

yes
each breath aching to know her once more

do I miss the way she tossed her hair
her playful smile that said 

I’m beautiful

do I miss her reaching out
to take my hand
to dance with me 
in blissful oneness

yes
always

with every heartbeat

but most of all
I miss her

whispering
as her lips touched mine

mio


tio stib

You might also enjoy: The Memory of a Single Rose; My Dementia Diary

Because once, I was loved by you

by 
in the darkness left by death
as tears flow with sobbing breath
bereft and broke
a light shines through

because once
I was loved by you

your love
our life
was Everest
a dream fulfilled
a noble quest

a memory that guides me true

Because once
I was loved by you

now
standing on my road
alone
no idea where I’ll find home

but my heart smiles
my strength renewed

Because once

I was loved

by you


tio stib


You might also enjoy: “Our Deepest Fear,” Life Journey Poems & Prose

The Dreamer

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she sits across from me

a frozen frame in memory

 

head turned

streaks of sunshine glowing on her face

her sparkling eyes staring out the window

dreaming of the life we would have together

 

smiling

 

the waitress sets our plates before us

and the woman who would be my wife

looks up and thanks her

 

we eat our meal

greet passersby

enjoy the bliss of oneness

 

now,

years later

sitting at the same table

gazing at the emptiness across from me

 

I wonder

 

did her dreams come true

 

mine did

 

 

tio stib

 

You might also enjoy: Seekers; If

You Will Always Be My Valentine

by

as I walk the mourning streets alone
holding the hand that isn’t there
her memory calls to me

my love teacher

smile!
life is a precious gift
delight in the wonder of each new day
embrace the sun’s warm touch
dance with moon shadows
drown yourself in the pleasures of flowers
play with children
laugh with babies

love

love

simply love

maria y steve in sand copy.jpg

you will always be my valentine

tio stib

You might also enjoy: My Dementia Diary; Life Journey Poems & Prose

My Dementia Diary 60 – Her Smile

by

I’ve not seen it for years
but I hear it, feel it
fluttering its butterfly wings in my soul
flitting through the garden of life’s memories
flying through my dreams

her smile

what would life be
without the heartbeat of love
without this boundless joy
this radiant light
that melts the clouds of doubt
the storms of despair

away

away

her smile

how can something
so long unseen
still fill my heart with hope

I am blinded by the bliss of love

 

tio stib

You might also enjoy: My Dementia Diary 13 – This Child Who Once Was Woman, My Dementia Diary

 

The Gift

by

yours was a gift I could not see
a quiet heart that treasured me

a smile that always answered

yes

a voice that offered no duress

a strength that ever held my hand
my buddy in the promised land
a care that never questioned why
a child’s grace that could not lie

you gave a gift that I now know
was purer than new fallen snow
that laughed with joy
and danced as we
flew with butterflies
and sailed dreams’ seas

then came the day
and you were gone
and tears drowned out what once was song
and lonely months slipped into years
to emptiness that no one hears

but as I walk the silent shore
I hold your hand in mine once more

I clutch the feeling in my heart
a memory lost to view
that precious gift you gave to me

I was loved by you

tio stib

You might also enjoy: ‘Walking With My Lover’s Ghost‘, ‘And I Smiled‘

 

 

 

Burning Dreams

by

today
I burned our dreams

all the visions
all the goals
all the plans we’d made together

I placed them on a funeral pyre

lit them up

let them go

watched them melt in flames
felt them float away in smoke

and I smiled

for together
we lived those dreams
walking hand in hand

in the heart of God

tio stib

You might also enjoy: The Memory of a Single Rose; Inspiration