The Reticent Diarist: Wood

By Sarah Arvio

The last thing I ever wanted was to

write again about grief did you think I

would your grief this time not mine oh good

grief enough is enough in my life that is

enough was enough I had all those

grievances all those griefs all engraved

into the wood of my soul but would you

believe it the wood healed I grew up and

grew out and would you believe it I found

your old woody heart sprouting I thought

good new growth good new luxuriant green

leaves leaves on their woody stalks and I said

I’ll stake my life on this old stick I’ll stick

and we talked into the morning and night

and laughed green leaves and sometimes a flower

oh bower of good new love I would have it

I would bow to the new and the green

and wouldn’t you know it you were a stick

yes I know a good stick so often and then

a stick in my ribs in my heart your old

dark wood your old dark gnarled stalk

sprouting havoc and now I have grief again

and now I’ve stood for what I never should

green leaves of morning dark leaves of night

The Reticent Diarist