A Face of Stone
I am a gargoyle
Wedded to concrete and brick
The guardian of my building
From above the streets
I watched a couple
Every night
Kissing in the hallway
She holding on to him
Looking deep into his soul
Leaning on him
Wanting to be near him
Depending on him.
He stood tall
Straight
Proud as he held her
Feeling
That he could touch the stars
And do anything.
I was jealous.
For some time
Their life
Had an ebb and flow
A regularity
As natural as the tides
From the deep dark sea.
Over time
The girl walked slowly
Hands on her stomach
Nervously she waited for him
She was pregnant
A curse in her grandparent’s time
But not a terrible thing today.
The boy stopped
Coming
Then one day
He came back
Tired
Worried
No longer sure of himself
He spoke to an older man
Tempers and harsh words
Followed.
They married
Not a joyous affair
They were days when I didn’t see her
Him I saw often
Returning from work
Newspaper under his arm
Tired
No longer tall
No longer proud.
I miss the days
When they were in love
The way they looked at each other
Made me blush
And when they embraced
I looked the other way
Can two people fall in love
Is that feeling so strong
That dreams become one
To live only for the day
Knowing
That nights of love and desire
Are not long
And heartbreak is forever.
I look upward
To the skies
And ask
If for one day
I could be human
And
Hold and embrace
Feel a caress
Have someone
To dream with
To live and love
To love and lose
Is better than this,
A face of stone.
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