I see them each day
on my way to global politics 201
years worn, moss filled with cracks along the armrests
I can remember one day seeing, two lovers in those chairs
surely their intent, to facilitate the couples conversation
when the words just do not come out right
leading to insignificant talk between the two
about how nice the weather is
or how the lake’s water is ever so calm
I can imagine their struggle of communication between the two
dodging questions each of them are too afraid to ask
“what do you want?”
“you.”
the boy’s heart begged to scream out
but it was evident the time wasn’t right for either of them
and they left the shore of lake Arthur in separate directions
–
the thing is, I never see anyone down at these seats anymore
the lake is frozen over and the vibrant trees have fallen to lacking color
there is a gap between the seats that seems obscurely too wide
and they sit at angles almost perpendicular
like a metaphor of how that couple left each other so abruptly
but thats the thing about leaving
it truly is a one sided decision
that girl could give her all toward someone
through thick and thin,
there could be no sense of reciprocation
or the boy
and no matter how hard he may try to win her back
they could so easily give up
leaving their stagnant memory upon a frozen lake shore
without hesitation.
–
so tomorrow, I think
I’ll go and sit in a chair along lake Arthur
imagining all the past people who may have been here in my position
and pretend to be that boy
imagining what it was like to have someone in the crooked seat beside him
only to walk away with but a quick shiver of a november wind
–
I think her hair would shift from a light september breeze
now tied back from a snow filled sky
and her eyes, God, her blue eyes reflected off the water radiantly
currently concealed of that blue lake freezing over
to ice reflecting her cold, pale skin
a poem such as this could not get close to doing her justice
a beauty that is only validated sitting on two mossy chairs..
with snow covering not only the ground, but their uncharted young lives
two vagabond souls merely looking for purpose in between each other’s hands
meeting her presented that boy with two possibilities
either she came into his life
only to leave and make him learn how to let love go
or they met to build two separate lives as one
and in her absence,
I don’t know which one is more frightening
–
I remember them upon the shores of lake Arthur
he would take the last sip of his coffee, and she would put a bookmark in her book
only to resentfully walk away in separate directions
both too afraid to turn around
and see if the other would look back as well
Best Imagination Poems Remarkable Loss Poems Nice Poems on Separation
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1 Comment on "Forgotten Chairs Along Lake Arthur"
You have painted a beautiful picture in my mind with this poem.
Such intense detailing!
I often wonder how life would be if certain decisions were taken differently.
Do you believe that we lost so much because we refrain from taking risks?
Do you feel that if the boy and girl had decided to stay on those chairs, they would have had a happily ever after? Are there any happily ever afters irrespective of the decisions we take?
All these questions keep popping in my mind as I read your poem.
Needless to say, it touched a chord deep within 🙂
Waiting to read more.
A picture of two empty chairs would have been apt, isn’t it?