Casting Shadows on Lament

Just on the horizon,
As we were driving home,
The setting sun dividing
What was and is to come.
You were apologizing,
Again, for long-past wrongs,
Instead of begging, compromising,
Justifying hurt that was endured,
This time it came as a reminder,
Gently meant to reassure,
New attributes you have acquired,
Evidence you now adorn,
You said,
"Look me in the eyes",
Sternly requested I move on.

For miles it kept its beams ablaze,
Glaring through the window,
So severely searing rays,
It left everything exposed,
--Now, all of which you know--

“Where do you go?",
You asked the question right
As I was taking mental note,
You had to ask it twice
Before I noticed what you spoke,
“Where do you go?",
I reacted with surprise,
As if oblivious
To what you had implied,
“Inside your head”,
You said,
Obvious to both of us,
By now, my stubborn crutch is this relent,
Repeat attempts to dig it up again,
To re-repent.
This point in time,
What holds us back is not the lack
of recompense,
It’s my defense.
In effort to re-edify and make amends,
The only words that you comprised:
“Come back to me again",
Nothing else was said,
We both knew what you meant.

As the evening faded,
I was caught in my descent,
My thoughts had started swaying,
Casting shadows on lament,
A shuffle through your playlist
Found a song we hadn’t heard since way back when.
You serenaded:
“Never mind the things I said before,
I over-stated and I shouldn’t have sworn."
--That’s when you took my hand in yours--
We sang:
“Can we start from the beginning now,
It feels like I’m really living now.”

The day was coming to an end,
We arrived as night was setting in.
For a minute,
I almost entertained the darkness
That had plagued my mind before,
Until I caught you smiling,
While approaching the front door.
As it shut and locked behind me,
Safe inside I was reminded,
Maybe everything is jaded,
As the lyrics clearly stated,
What does that mean to us?
Today I realized that this is love:
When flaws are not an issue,
When we lift each other up,
When faith comes easy
When I’m with you,
That’s enough.

When I am weak,
You always remind me,
Despite where we have been,
The sun does shine again.

©CMaloney 2018