Value her as he did, and love her as he did he could not promise to value her always, and that scrupulous thought forced him to walk away and not look back. That look she gave him then, empty and yet charged, would haunt him all his life. As if he had, with unconscious wantonness, trampled on some sacred ground: her sacred ground.
Before the age of knowledge, when she discovered him walking in his oddness, and smiling at the view it had all seemed so simple and innocent and tender, He, whose life was like some dried and arid plain, a stranger to passing moisture or interest, had wondered at her giving heart, and how she made a prayer of all she did. It seemed a wonder in his life, to be found and loved so openly, but he was young and oddly scrupulous.
He felt he must be understood yet free, and had still to discover that all things have their price, and that life cannot be lived without some compromise. Later, in years ahead, he often looked back and saw her timeless beauty and those haunting eyes imprinted in his memory, staring up the path as they had then and always would, and looking at him across his history in each new circumstance and saying with a simple truth, “You never knew what I gave you” and he never had till now, when love, once more, was like a stranger in his life, and tenderness only touched him in his dreams.
Beautiful writing. Great intro sentences, reeled me in.
LikeLike
Beautiful. Simply Beautiful.
LikeLike
There’s always eHarmony.
LikeLike
how she made a prayer of all she did…lovely line.
LikeLike
To me this reads like a love song between the Father Sky and Mother Earth myths of creation. It is beautifully told with just the right amount of sadness and regret, poignancy and melancholy. Wonderfully written!
LikeLike
Nicely done! Excellent imagery.
LikeLike
Pure sweetness! Beautiful!
LikeLike
A beautiful piece. Great start to the year.
LikeLike
Ahhh I feel quite moved! Such lovely writing with more than a hint of wistfulness… 🙂
LikeLike
I melt inside your words, P. Xxx
LikeLike
wow
LikeLike
Beautiful, all I can say.
LikeLike
Phew, this really, really touched my heart. The final line, ‘tenderness only touched him in his dreams’, brought tears welling up…
LikeLike
Pingback: The Parting | Laurel's Reflections
This is very “wow” Peter. It is simply beautiful and speaks to me of risks not taken; there is definitely a wistful feel to it. How sad that “tendeness only touched him in his dreams”.
…gow she made a
Rayervof all she sid” is just a beautiful line.
What a fabulous start to a new year. I hope it continuesto be a very content and creative one for you. 😊
LikeLike
Damn! How did I make such a mess of that comment?! 😄. Typing with one finger is my excuse even if its not a good one because I also forget to check!
“…how she made a prayer of all she did”. – that’s better! 😊
LikeLike
So beautifully written I could really see him.
b
LikeLike
Hi Peter, this again was a very good read, sad like the end of a romance usually is, and lovely the memory.
LikeLike
“He, whose life was like some dried and arid plain, a stranger to passing moisture or interest…” Such wonderful imagery.
LikeLike
That’s awesome! Really touching!! I love it.
LikeLike
Such pain expressed so beautifully… Marvelous piece
LikeLike
Well done. The last line–perfect.
LikeLike
You have such a pure talent of exploring the moments when we get what we want, and discover the hidden flaws; or we leave behind something we see as flawed, later realizing that in its flaw was its beauty.
LikeLike
This is stunning, Peter … so poetic and not really sad … but then I am a sucker for such memories of love … the kind that seem to make it richer and more truthful. Lovely, so lovely! This truly speaks of your lovely heart and spirit!
LikeLike
Lovely dear friend.
LikeLike
This is such a brilliant short work, so many things I love in the story, in the words chosen, in its construct. This is my personal favourite amongst all of your work.
LikeLike
Absolutely one of my favourites. Much like you, yourself x
LikeLike
beautiful piece Peter. love is mostly an illusion
LikeLike
Breathless. And that is all… for now… 😉
LikeLike
I like that observation that being understood (and thus being close enough to someone to allow yourself to be understood) and being free (in the sense of being at arm’s length from someone) are often incompatible with each other and sometimes we have to choose.
LikeLike
My friend.. this is simply beautiful. You had me hanging on every word, especially at the end of this. It was simply beautiful.
LikeLike
A wonderful tapestry of beautiful words.
LikeLike
Lovely and melancholy 🙂
LikeLike
Very beautiful
LikeLike