She looked for a time at the package,
It lay at an angle to the lamp
On the sofa table, wrapped in
Cream tissue paper and was neatly
Bound with wired gold ribbon.

"No" she thought, " Much, much too pretty"

Lifting the book, she began to tear
At the paper covering, slowly at first,
But then with a fury which surprised her.
The knotted ribbon wire cut deeply, reminding
Her of the hurt she had been feeling inside.
She let her fingertips trace the gold, embossed
Lettering embedded into the soft cream leather,
Then raised her hand to her cheeks, now burning
With the trails of salted tears, but it returned again
To the word...Journal..."A journey?" she thought.

Opening the book at almost the back cover,
She flicked back a page or two until she saw
Her last two entries. She read them again.
"No... I can be no more! she cried aloud,
With that, she took a deep breath, and
Tore the pages raggedly from the spine
With an anger and frustration only she could understand.
This was the only thing left for her to do,
Although, fifteen years of marriage
Were very hard to walk away from.

Placing the journal in her suitcase, now lying
Open on the sofa, she turned and looked
Around the room. Yes, she had chosen the best spot
The first time, and she stepped back to the sofa table,
Placing the two ripped pages side by side beneath
The glow of the lamp... they could be seen very easily there.

As her taxi would be arriving any moment, she hurriedly
Put on her coat, closed her case, lifted it and as
She turned towards the door, her eyes caught
A last glimpse of the two cream sheets of paper.
Hesitating, she glanced around at the telephone pen,
Then she placed her case on the floor,
Moved back to the sofa table, and read for the very last time...

"I still love you" on the first torn out page, and

"I am leaving you" on the second.

She shrugged, wiped away another tear..... and added a P.S.

"I do hope he's worth it !!!"



(c) ZYDHA HART 2005