Between the lines, by Dawn McLachlan
"Dear Chris, happy Christmas Love from Dawn"
But in the empty gap that yawns
I really mean
"Are you still there?"
Between the lines I say I care and that I know we were never close
Our relationship just a courtesy little more than a legacy
of love for my godmother
who showed me the importance of poetry
and the joy of words
We both must remember how she laughed
and had a joy of life absurd with optimism
But at her funeral all those years ago we barely spoke and
now our contact just this annual token
and in our shared loss we were mute
That surely never faded from our hearts and yet
Between the lines
we say how much we loved her
Now, we just have this card once a year
And I'm thankful that we had her here
once upon a time
But I don't say that
So it's not what you hear
Instead I say again
"Dear Chris, happy Christmas. Love from Dawn."
Then the year the card came back
Via family solicitor, apologies
But sorrow lacked
and both of us ran out of time
No need to read between the lines
Another #fridaypoem for #poemsabout and the #youshouldnthave prompt
@thebrokenspine.co.uk
#poetrycommunity #poems #poets #christmas #poetsofbluesky #poemalttext
