https://nopenotpam.com/2022/07/31/a-letter-a-week-r/

This week’s letter is “R”, and I’ve used the host’s marvelous drawing and her five prompt words: Rome; relief; rhyming; run; robin.  Click the link above to learn more about the challenge, and join in!

♥♠♥

The robin rescued my reality.

My brother, Richard, invited me

To vacation in Rome—though he

Knows I despise traveling, hardly

 Leave my neighborhood.

He’s visited most of the world

And I always say, “bring back

Lots of photos!”

He does each time, and I fully

Enjoy them without stress

Of actually going somewhere.

So, while I love Italian movies

Food, music, I said, “no thanks”

Hugged him hard, kissed his cheek.

“You don’t know what you’re

Missing”, he said—and I called

“Bring back lots of photos!”, as

He ran to board his plane.

I felt relief, happiness when he

Phoned to say he’d safely arrived

To begin another adventure.

He considers my life less ‘vibrant’

Likes to tease, but realizes I’m

Well-content in my smaller world

Cooking, writing, talking to birds

Outside my window.

The crows are my pals, and I

Relish visits from seagulls

Lone blue jay, sparrows, wee

Chickadees.  I wake, and fall

Asleep to birdsong every day—

Who wouldn’t be joyful?

I don’t need to travel.

♥♠♥

I expected Richard’s return, next day

And was surprised by an afternoon call.

I’d been watching the robin, faithfully

Perched next to my windowsill—

Peering in, observing my activities.

Chuckling, I picked up the phone, “hello?”

Within single moment, life changed.

My brother Richard, best friend I

Loved with all my heart—was dead.

The tour bus he was on had been

Bombed, no survivors.

I should have accompanied him…

Days, weeks, months passed in

Blurry shock, initially…then waves

Of agonizing grief, sorrow, crashing

Into and nearly drowning me—

Particularly the day a package was

Delivered.  Somehow Richard’s

Camera, loaded with photos, had

Found its way home unharmed.

His death ripped through me

I’d never known such pain, didn’t

Think I could live… I surely couldn’t

Write—rhyming had deserted me

Leaving choppy lines of incoherent

Phrases lacking cohesion.

But his pictures were filled with life

His handsome smile embraced

Me from every scenic spot.

The one daily touchstone of divine

Grace was my robin—eyes turned

Toward me, searching my heart

With compassion, empathy…as if

To say, “you can do it, you’re strong

Because you have a brother’s love

And God above, holding you both.”

©Leyde Ryan, 2022 ~ All rights reserved.

https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2022/07/31/sorrow/