Cold Days Poem by Neil Graham Marsden

You called today on one of your 'Official Visits' to our home
the place where tempers had been silenced
and where passions had been fully spent.
I kissed the lipstick traces on your cup when you had gone.

Throughout your stay I wanted just to hold you,
to tell you that despite all, my hatred was in check
you came to ask when I would surrender our home to you
when I just wanted you to say that I should stay.

Each time I closed the door the clock would taunt me
so soon the chance of such simple actions would be gone.
I walked into our garden, said goodbye to all our plants
I would not see them bloom again this Spring.

I will leave my stain on all things here
to linger on when I am gone.
By chance should your tears ever drench your pillows
just know they are still soaking wet from mine.

For I will soon knock upon my own front door
to enter as a guest, this place now vacuumed of my memory
this special place within my heart where I once roamed
freely, naked in the night.