Serpentinarium

Event: Hand cocked and ready for a 9mm draw, a black-clad beauty with a badge warily approaches the car she stopped while her cruiser's flashing blue lights advertise.

Electronic smile
Black on white, fingers on keys
New love poetry

A face I've known forever
A shoulder shrug in acceptance
Grieving eyes regard me in compassion
I return the same and they start
The tears for a life together lost
Bitter, seeming endless, ruining my vision

I can't believe I'm here

I . . .

You . . .

We . . .

Misty silence, uncertainty, fear

Grief

Heartbroken grief . . .

It's late and time to go

A little bell rings
Affectionate murmurings
Warm summer smiles now

Winds of winter, collar turned up
Chilled hands cradling breath drifting in
Frigid air through pink fingers
Like memories escaping into time

Over there, dark eyes smiling
A door, a light, a fire inside
Low voices and poetry
Summer conjured in seconds

Cold pushed back a while
Chill relieved, aches soothed
Images of hummingbirds, flower to flower
Winter looks to Spring