Heart-teaser

Heart-teaser

Last night,

we walked together,

hand in hand,

along the windswept promenade,

high on the enchantment,

or was it just the drink?

This morning

we walked together,

side by side,

along the usual highway to reality,

wondering if it was the real McCoy,

or was it just the drink?

Tonight,

if we walk together,

hand in hand,

or side by side,

we’ll know if the magic was heartfelt

or was it just the drink?

©June Sciortino  14/10/12

Christmas Alone

Christmas Alone

Christmas dinner for one is ready

One piece of turkey, from the deli

A roast potato, sprouts and the rest,

A pudding and custard, but not the best

One glass of sherry begins the event,

This sets off the poignant torment

She raises the glass above her head

An aim to toast makes her sad instead

She’s alone; they’ve all now passed away

There no one to celebrate this festive day,

Her eyes brim over with pain and sorrow

She hates the thought of another tomorrow

It’s Christmas day and I’m still here

So old and alone, there is no cheer

She downs the tipple in one swallow

Too morose to eat, she leans forward to wallow

The food she cooked is spattered with tears

It’s Christmas, the first of many she fears

She’ll be all alone, in this same sorry state

Wistfully hoping a change in her fate

Will permit her to join loved ones now spent

She shrugs, but she hopes God hears her lament.

©June Sciortino - 03/11/11

Fly-by-night

Fly-by-night

Hard times ahead — you disappear into yourself, weaving tales of misfortunes and mayhem on return. 

Yet you recount my calamities as if it was you that put me on the avenue of recovery, your deceit covered by an intense foliage of lies.

Presented with a request for aid — you smile wisely and nod but do nothing, though it seems that you do much with words that, to the listener, implies, it’s you that unravels my tangled webs.

Excuses for everything you don’t do, pour from your mouth like a bitter-sweet saccharine slime that sticks to my long-suffering brain, causing an irritation hard to eradicate.

Faced with recrimination your face is a picture of ‘the wide eyed innocent' being led to hang by my treachery. 
 
You appeal tearfully, whitewashing the facts, painting the guilt on me. 

Convinced you’ve trounced my claims, you end with, ‘Come, let’s be friends!  Life’s too short to hold grudges.’

You will never be my friend — fly-by-night. 

©June Sciortino 03/11/12

Losing you

Losing you

Silently, slowly, dusk overtook day.

Transformed, it became a secret night world.

Stealthily possessing your defenceless soul.

No one remembers — especially you.

We watch powerless, as  you wither away.

Thin as the host that absolves us each Sunday.

Mind gradually drained, you begin to evaporate

Day by day — til’ you’re gone forever

Into that shrouded pea soup —

 ‘Dementia’,

A word to be smothered at birth.

©June Sciortino 19/05/12

Vacant Blue Eyes Stare

Vacant Blue Eyes Stare

Into  a distant vision,

Vacant blue eyes stare.

 Disturbed, no recognition,

Piercing blue eyes glare.

Signs and gestures ignored.

Words hang in the air.

Faces strike no chord.

Totally reduced to despair.

The life we chose together,

Completely unaware.

Reached the end of my tether,

As those vacant blue eyes stare.

©June Sciortino 16/05/12