Waiting

A Story-Poem

The young man sits at the edge
of the pond, his hair pulled back
in a ponytail, shirtless, listening
to the sounds the fish make as
they leap from the water into
the air. Today is his twenty-fifth
birthday and the anniversary
of his sweetheart’s death. Time
has not stopped for this young
man, but he has chosen to get off
the merry-go-round. Everyday he
comes and sits by the pond, hoping
to catch a glimpse of his lover, to bring
her back through the curtain, to taste
her sweet lips one more time. This pond
was her favorite spot. He still does not
fathom why God would take one
so young. He dreams of climbing
the stairway to heaven and confronting
God, face to face, man to man.

Copyright ©2020 by Harley King