Giving each to the other.
Each burdened by their past.
Each hopeful for the future.
Striving to find themselves in the eyes of the other.
Hoping to see within the other who they are.
The good and precious deep within.
Clenching one another during dark hurricanes of grief.
The howling like the pounding wind and crashing waves.
Trying to hold on, shelter, and survive.
Dancing during moments of joy, like two prancing gazelles.
Gathering among friends, toasting and celebrating life.
With God in his heaven and the devil put to rest.
Two souls wrapped in rapture,
intwined as one.
Reaching for eternal bliss.
Pledging to one another
not to let poverty or sickness separate.
To be together till their final breath.
Striving to break the chains binding,
to finally be free,
and soar beyond all that is keeping them down.
Holding on, trying to drown the screaming voices,
the screeching demons.
Seeking to find love that lasts forever.
In the end,
one is ripped away.
One second two, the next one.
Until?
Bob Bader is a retired professional engineer who designed mechanical systems for various commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, justice facilities offices etc. He is now a tutor at SLCC showing students how to solve problems in mathematics, science and engineering. It’s his opportunity to give back to the educational community that he owes so much — time to help students find themselves and to nurture their ability to learn.
Bob is a poet and has been writing poetry for over 20 years. He’s a member and officer of the Utah State Poetry Society, an organization of amateur poets affiliated with the National Poetry Society.
He enjoys the company and companionship of his fellow writers and values and utilizes their input after they’ve reviewed his work. Click here to read more writing prompt responses by Bob. Want to learn how to write poetry? Check out Bob’s upcoming class at University of Utah’s Osher Program, Poetry Reborn.
If you have an essay or poem on aging you'd like to share with others on the blog, click here for submission info. Since I also teach “Writing Through Grief” and “Writing as a Tool to Cope with Anxiety,” if you have an essay related to these topics that you’d like to share, I’d love to read it!
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