Please Write Back

BY AVELLINA BALESTRI

Write
Write something!
Write to tell me you’ll never write again,
That I’ll never hear your voice again
That I’m a silly, immature child
Write anything!

I’m crying now,
Fighting with myself
Because I don’t have you to fight with
All I have is silence,
Silence given back in exchange for words
Tart, frustrated words

Tell me a little story,
Or some foolish joke,
Like you used to do on Sundays
I know you’ve moved on since then,
And so have I
But I’d still give anything to hear them

Forgive me;
I’m a sentimental fool,
But I love the way you wrote
And the way you spoke,
So simple and sincere
You opened my heart to love

I hear old songs –
How they bring back memories
Of shared ideals and passions
The great quests, the lovers,
Romances spun by fools,
O! What a fool I am!

The lecturing finger,
The shaking head,
Telling me that this is life
I must forget you and let you go
But my head is in a muddle,
And my heart breaking like glass

I laugh;
How stupid, stupid I am!
I laugh until the tears come down,
Hot water, scalding salt
Please, please write
Write something!