Notes

Forever and Always?

A month passed
They laughed as they drove
Windows down and music blaring
Armed with love to take on the world

The end of their honeymoon,
And the dawn of their new life
They were still just kids in love
Only now, husband and wife

Months have passed
She goes back to the books
She has classes and he has to work
Married life isn't as grand as it looks.

She gets up when he's going to bed
He wants her there but she has a test
But as long as there's still love
They can figure out all the rest.

A year has passed
He's out working late
Coming home with his old habits
They try to love but can't relate

It's coming back
Old grudges die hard
The bitterness from years ago
The memories of broken hearts.

Five years later
It's like they abruptly grew up
Reduced to vacant adults
Downing vodka by the cup.

Bills to pay and work to do
They're too busy for each other
Never uttering "I love you"
It's been years since that mattered.

It's been a lifetime
Heaven knows how they made it here
Growing old, but not together
Only sharing common space.

Years of calm cold conversation
They hardly fought anymore
The effort took too much
Nuisances are easier to just ignore.

And now being old and gray
No longer holds the appeal
No rickety rocking chairs here
No soft laughter with power to heal.

But as one lay there fading away
They ponder what happened to love
Didn't they both promise forever?
Maybe forever just wasn't enough.