She Really Loved You

you left her behind
long ago
in New Arcadia
and as you sailed away
she was gathering peach blossoms
in her apron
she was going to make you
a fragrant necklace
out of them,
you heartless...
and then she cried
when she heard about you leaving
oh, yes, sir,
she did cry
and wail
and moan
for you,
you worthless...
a man knows when to say
au revoir or adieu
to the woman he loves
(to give her a clue)
you said neither to her
so you must not have
loved her
all that much,
you thoughtless...
but never fear, sir,
she dried her eyes
shrugged her shoulders,
stood tall under Heaven
and declared, "I shall...love again!"
and so she met another,
married him,
bore his children
and remained faithful and constant
to him
and he to her (a real man, sir)
she...loved again, sir
and you want news of her now?
why? what do you care,
you hopeless...?
oh, all right, all right
NO! DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF LOVE!
you know nothing about it!
DON'T SPEAK OF LOVE, YOU...!
all right, all right!
she died! she's dead!
she died yesterday eve
in bed, with her husband
and grown children
standing nearby, weeping
and the last words she spoke
(I still can't believe it!)
the last words she ever spoke
with her very last breath
of life
were...your name!
yes, it's true!
her last words
and possibly thoughts
were of you!...God!

they buried her this morning
near that same peach orchard
the blossoms are even now
blanketing her grave...

so you see, sir,
she liked her husband,
she liked her children,
she even liked New Arcadia,
but she really loved you,
you heartless,
                    worthless,
                                   thoughtless,
                                                    hopeless,
                                                                              loveless...



yes, sir,
she really loved you...



DB/c1998