Decisions and Other Poems

By David Roger Normand

Decisions

You think you’re doing the right thing. 
You buy the time that may save your life. 
You move your wife away from her friends, 
And farther away from your children. 
To lessen your commutes,
to be closer to your work.
To be closer to nature. 

Everyday you see the beauty of nature all around you, 
but, at times, you hear
the loneliness in your wife's voice
and heart.

Then, the text from her friend.  

One of the friends we dined with, 
chatted with, partied with.  
The one who lost her sister to cancer.

Then, the text from her friend.

"I start chemo next week."

And there is nothing you can say.

Another eight months later…

After phone calls; lunches,
trying to get together; 
trying to spend time together; 
trying to be a friend. 

My wife gets a text. The doctor has spoken. 

"Go and do what you have always wanted to do.  Now is the time."

The reply as to what she always wanted to do:

"I want to live."

And there is nothing you can say.

Tragedy at the Bird Feeder

Tragedy at the bird feeder.  Mom and Dad quail arrived yesterday morning
with their covey of ten little chicks.  
We’ve watched them grow for two months now.  
We feed them every day.  It is nice to see them.  
What a beautiful family.  

Yesterday...  

Yesterday morning, a neighbor told me. 
A hawk came out of the trees and snatched a chick. 

Today…

This afternoon, the dad came back.  He stood on a rock,
scouting the security of the yard.  

Later, as I walked to check the mail, 
I saw the mom and a few chicks cross the street. 
Mom was looking back, as if wondering, where is…?  
What name did Mom use?
And, I thought to myself, did the chick have a name?  

Will she always look back for her chick,
Wondering?  

A Friend of Mine 

She was a friend of mine
An acquaintance long ago
But time has changed so many things
And melted all the snow.
She gave me many things
Which friendships would secure
But all those things are gone right now
Like so many things that were.
Someday when time has changed
And young has turned to old
She that betrayed my heart
Will again retain my soul.

David Roger Normand has been writing for many years but he
just recently retired from my technical writing career. Normand has
started to immerse himself in the creative side. He was published in the
San Diego Reader’s “Blog to Flog” column for three consecutive weeks
in 2015.  His poem, “For Maria” was published in “Romantic Bower.”  Normand
currently blog at PonderingDave.blogspot.com.