Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Saturday, 7:00 p.m.,
December 15th, 2007,
What's happening,
to us!
Do you still want,
to talk to me?
I love you!
My love!
Sunday, 1:30 a.m.,
December 16th, 2007,
I finally plugged the phone back in,
How did that go?
On Wednesday,
December 12th,
You phoned me,
All excited,
Bursting to share the drama,
Unfolding there,
With Jessie and Jason.
You told me,
Jessie had left Armidale,
Going back to Queensland,
To live,
With brother James.
I said,
"She'll get over it",
You took great offense,
Me saying that,
Quitting our conversation,
Telling me,
"I thought I knew you!"
"What you said offends me!"
You hung up.
You called me back,
An hour later,
To tell me,
"I need time to think",
"What you said",
"Really offended me!"
"She'll get over it!"
"That's like me saying",
"About your cabin burning down",
"Get over it!"
You sounded so malicious,
Our scarred and wounded hearts,
Bleeding to death while love laughs in our faces,
Shock shook me,
Surprised by your response,
I was hurt,
Your malicious tone,
Your statement,
You said,
"I need a time out."
And you hung up.
I cringed,
Felt rather sick inside,
Like I'd just been punched,
Kicked hard in the gut.
I unplugged the damn phone.
Turned off the answering machine.
Now I find myself here.
Where?
Sunday,
1:40 a.m.,
December 16th,
2007,
We haven't spoken.
You've emailed me a dozen times.
I haven't read any of your messages.
Fearing more venom from you.
I fear hurtful words,
From those I love.
And I love you,
With all my heart.
I emailed you,
Three times,
Since Wednesday,
Once each day.
I told you I was sorry.
I told you that I love you.
I told you I don't blame you for anything.
I doubt now,
Whether you will ever phone me again,
I doubt everything somehow,
I don't know,
If we will ever talk to one another again,
Hold each other again,
Kiss or make love again.
You're probably thinking,
Hateful things of me now.
I can hear you,
From one hemisphere to the next,
Cursing me,
All the way,
Across a vast ocean,
Separating us.
I love you.
I hoped we could be together,
But it seems bigger than me now,
The Armada has been scuttled and burned.
The Empire has been crushed and disbanded.
All love has been sucked into a black hole.
Without your loving words,
It seems impossible somehow.
I'm sorry we aren't together.
Those deep vast oceans.
All that space and time.
I can't throw my love far enough,
Shout words loud enough,
For them to touch,
Or reach you again,
Where we would sit and talk.
I love you so very much.
I thought forever was with us on this walk,
Hand in hand with us in this forest of trees.
Love babels on cloudy days.
Love has its own ideas.
Love always,
No period please,
Love always,
- Joe.