Bittersweet closure

“I walked up to her house.
I had celebrated one year with this young woman.
In the comfort of her small apartment.
We learned passion and hate.”

An angelic face answered the door.
She asked me. Why did I come?
She fell into my arms.

I was leaving the Army.
Three years in the beauty and elegance
of Germany was coming to the end.

I came for closure.
My beautiful Daniela took me to
heaven and hell.

We entwined two lives for a year.
Her beauty enchanted my heart.
We reached the pinnacle of passion.
A million sweet kisses and thousand
words of love.

Now she is crying.
Her new love is dead.
I whispered I didn’t want anyone to die.

I went to the Army P.X.
I brought her favorite rum to her.
I Played her Leonard Cohen music.
I allowed her to hold on to me.

Silence is necessary.
Sometimes words don’t mean much.
They only swim in sadness.
Allowed pain to do the fatal mercy
of killing off the last of your hope and joy.

A young woman broke my heart.
The elixir of sweet love has turned bittersweet.

Now forgiveness and kindness are all
we have left.

Sweet and beautiful Daniela
Asked did I come to save her?

I whispered I came to say goodbye the right way.
To tell you thank you.

Her blue eyes looked into mine.
Asking for what?
I condemned you to grief and damnation.

I kissed her forehead.
I told her.

The only offense would be if we don’t try to love.
Breathtaking kisses;
the warmth of two bodies becoming one for a time;
nights of love and passion

Will always bring a smile.
When the body and mind are old.
Those stories won’t ever leave the heart and dreams.

I sat and baby-sit Daniela for three days.

I left her with no words of love.

Just a bittersweet goodbye.”

Coyote
July 1982