Love so deep
Early morning walks, they say
are good for your heart.
John’s, were pre-dawn strolls
along a twisted coastal trail,
rising 30-40 ft. above
the rocky shore below.
Stopping for a respite there
he sat upon a rock
overlooking a small inlet.
He was about to move on
when the sun peeked into his eyes.
He waited
always fascinated
by the arrival of first light
but something else caught his eye.
Below him, among the rocks
wrapped in one of those
Navy issue blankets
dark blue, now tinged in purple
by the Red Sun
were a pair of bodies
sitting upon a large flat rock.
They were a couple gazing
at morning’s delight.
He held her tight
and she rested her head on his shoulder.
On the sand, apart from them, was a tent.
Perhaps, their shared domain for the night?
She whispered in his ear
and then she stood up,
naked.
She ran to the sea
and groped her way across the rocks.
John’s senses told him to leave
but he was captivated by her beauty.
She carried a large pail toward the ocean
and from a high rock she dove into the sea.
She came out almost immediately
and returned to him carrying the full pail.
She faced him and dumped the chilling water
over his head.
He fell backward.
He, too, was naked.
She straddled him
and they enjoyed making love and then, cuddling.
At least that’s what John saw.
and again, he felt he should move on
when something strange happened.
She stood again and lifted a prosthesis, a leg
and it was then John saw that
one of his legs was gone at the thigh
and the other at the knee.
She teased him with the leg
and then they embraced again
She then danced once more toward the sea
swinging and swaying
and waving the leg
with one hand
while she carried the pail with the other.
When she neared the rocks
she set down the pail and leg
turned and waved to him
then picked them and continued on
All the time, playfully flaunting her nudity
and that leg.
She was at the high rock
when it all went wrong.
There was this gangly awkward
pirouette she did
just before the fall and that sound….
so clear in the morning air
combined with a dull thud
and she was gone.
Slipped into the sea
and nothing.
He was screaming
hastening to attach the other leg
and stumbling, falling
crawling at times.
John was on his cell phone to 911.
He never reached the sea
before sirens were heard and
John swears he saw her form
drifting outward from the shore.
Rescue teams arrived
cared for him, while a boat was launched
and the searchers
retrieved her body .
John stayed to give his account of what happened
to police that found him waving frantically from on high.
When all was said and done
he continued his walk
crossing into the parking lot
where he saw their transportation
a beat-up old mini van
and as he passed he saw the license plate
with its Purple Heart monogram.
-
Author:
MendedFences27 (
Offline) - Published: August 31st, 2022 21:15
- Comment from author about the poem: Poem or story, I don't know. Something that has plagued me for a couple years now.
- Category: Love
- Views: 50
Offline)
Comments5
Either way, one hell of a tale, Phil, very real in the telling. Pulled me in.
And I have to ask:
Have to ask what? No, it's total fiction. For 75 years of my life, I lived near the ocean and have seen many incidents occur there. This one came into my brain about two years ago. Not based on anything specific, just had to work out the ending.
Well did the job in my head anyway.
Wonderful write Phil and so well written, I was hooked.
Andy
Thank you, Andy, Glad you enjoyed it.
I could hardly breathe as the tragedy struck in this tale of love and loss Phil - -- so sadly special and truth or not I was captivated by your vivid telling.
Breathe deeply Fay, it is total fiction.
I would say a story wrapped securely within a prose poem .. a compelling read from one end to the other ..
ps -
The shiver down my spine at the conclusion is a clear indication, to me at least, that it was indeed a fine example of poetic prose ..
Neville
Thanks, Neville. What more could a writer ask for than to generate shivers? Thanks again
Wow! I must say I'm impressed
This artwork got me thinking allday
Thank you, Lincoln for taking the time to read this and to comment. And thank you for compliments on my work. Glad it got you thinking.
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