Once

You walk away
as I watch from the window.
The sound of your footsteps,
                now growing fainter,
as the heavy beating of my heart
        screams in my ears.
I thought maybe this time
we would make it,
but you can see as easily as I do
where we stand now . . .
                        far apart.

Once we laughed.
Once we loved.
Once we lived as one.
But that was once some time ago.
When there was a warm sun
and walks along the beach
and horseback riding in the country.

Falling now are the autumn leaves,
beautiful in their
                multicolored variation,
but still dead.
Covering up the path we walked.
Waiting for the winter snow to come
and bury it until a fresh spring sun
can melt the snow exposing a new path
for new lovers to walk.
And come summer
their paths will change to one
        along the beach.

Maybe the seasons
        will be good to them
like they were for us
                    for a short time . . .
                                once.

Copyright © 1976 by Jay Carlton and Diamond Heights Press
Copyright © 2004 renewed by Jay Carlton

and Quiet Storm - Rolling Thunder Press

All International Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Excerpt from Sounds of Darkness published by Diamond Heights Press,
an imprint of the Quiet Storm - Rolling Thunder group