This Was Once a Love Song

My offering for this month's writing prompt on Poets Online*

THIS WAS ONCE A LOVE SONG

This was once a love song
But I had to drop the melody
(Which was fine with it, since it knows I
could never write one anyway.
At least not a good one.
And it would have only liked a good melody, thank you very much.)

I kept hoping to capture the ideas as he did
so long ago,
singing.
The minstrel called me "Laura" and spoke of
"Life so simple," which (of course)
It turned out not to be.

He thought things would be different, I'm sure.
And I'm sure I promised as much
with my eyes
and my smile
and my whispered dreams...
back before I became the one
"to have and to hold"
even when you are sick to death of it
and don't want to
but do.

It is content not to be a love song, because
no one writes loves songs about pasta
or ear aches
or vomit
or stretch marks.

There isn't much crooning about tire swings
and loose teeth
and fingerpaint
and lullabies.

Love songs whisper promises they never keep,
never making it to the finish line.
They end before they really begin,
like Easter eggs still in the carton
or chocolate pie that is an empty shell.

It knows it, and so
thanks God to no longer be
the attempted love song.

It would be much happier as a soundtrack,
going lovely here
and frightening there
and loud
and soft
and gentle
and grand

But since it knows I cannot write this, either
It will just hold my hand
through the agony
and the laughter
and the tears.

And smile at him
with gratitude
for constancy.

© 2009 Laurie Sitterding