Did You Know?
©2013 Louise Gallagher
Did you hesitate in the end
did you lift your foot
off the gas
your body rigid
as the moment of impact
raced near
blocking out
the sun and moon and stars
leaving you both
crushed together upon the road
life escaping
in one final agony of breath
crying into eternity
did you know?
Did you grip her hand
this woman you had loved
for so many years
your eyes looking only at her
your fingers crushing her delicate bones
did she look away for just a moment
and see
destiny racing towards you
did she yell
scream
cry
look out!
Stop!
did you ignore her
or did you both
know?
did you feel fear
regret
sorrow
was it just an accident
a momentary slip of attention
a cosmic shift of focus
that left you
shattered
never to breathe
into the gift
of time
to make right
what was done
if only
you could do it
all over again
did you know?
There is so much
I don’t know
on this day that appeared
upon the calendar
sixteen years ago
when your life
ended
and I began to search
for the truth
of knowing
it is
in the end
only love
that can make sense
of what I do not know
it is only love
that connects us
beyond this place
where I wonder
did you know?
A Poetry Affair 
So sad for your loss of sixteen years ago. So brilliantly put in this poem. Was this someone close?
Hi Elizabeth. Thank you. It was my brother and his wife. The anniversary date is tomorrow, but I awoke from a dream with the first paragraph written, so I wrote it. Hugs
I am so sorry for your loss. Even years later, I now how much it can still hurt. Hugs to you too.
I got teary eyed when I read this as it was so beautifully written. Our loss never ends but the sorrow of what might have been has eased somewhat over the years. I just hope that the generation after us re connects somehow so that there is a continuation of family. Glad that we have each other though…Love you little sis, Jackie
Love you too big sis. L
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Beautiful memorial piece. The sadness is not only in the tragic loss, but in the never really knowing. Maybe after all these years the why doesn’t matter as much as the love. I think you stated that perfectly here.