Never Spoken Of -Aug 18 2025

 

Never Spoken Of

Aug 18 2025

To be estranged.

Related

but once removed

and twice apart.

No longer in touch,

even though touch was always hard.

So not a stranger, exactly

but might just as well be one.

And said passively

as if it somehow just happened;

no act of will,

no one 

who hid their address

and left letters unread.

No one

who wrote messages 

they never sent,

blocked phones

closed doors

or died alone.

Was it distance, drift, neglect?

Was it the mother

growing up

whispering poison in one ear?

Was it something that wasn’t done,

some harm that was?

Not unspeakable

just never spoken of;

nursing some grievance

that over the years

kept building up?

It seems unnatural not to love

blood relatives

and those who grew up with you,

the mother who raised you

the father who stayed.

But it happens sometimes;

you become estranged

and then you are.

As if estrangement 

was a state of being

impervious to change.

Yes, there may be regrets

second thoughts

let bygones be gone,

but no first step

and no response.

And on his deathbed 

no vigil or prayer

or comforting word.

No back rubs

hair brushed

or covers snugly tucked,

up to his chin

like a child put to bed.

No gentle touch,

and no tentative hand 

offered up

let alone held.

No forgetting 

acceptance 

attempting to mend.

No last breath confession 

sincere or not.

Not even putting in

a token presence

to see him off for good.