While I Was Away

The way of the heart.

I bought my love a gift,
While I was away,
Something small, a lover's token,
To let her know,
I was thinking of her.

Found little memories from,
While I was away,
Cleaning out cluttered papers,
Collected during the grieving,
When I could do nothing else.

It was in the memories from,
While I was away,
Bringing bittersweetness,
Memories of who,
I thought she was back then.

Wish I'd known before,
While I was away,
That professed love had turned,
As it sometimes does,
Merely to care.

Had I known before,
While I was away,
Her heart had turned to caring,
And perhaps even this,
Was waning,

I'd have put my heart,
While I was away,
In a sealed vault or hospital,
The sea, or maybe in the mountains,
To mend.

Instead I left it out,
While I was away,
Free to the highest bidder,
Layed atop the kitty,
Available to the holder of trump.

So gambling with my heart,
While I was away,
Took its toll,
Required reparative surgery,
Or maybe mine's artificial.

Then it had to heal from,
While I was away,
And the world stopped,
Listening to monitors,
While in the waiting room.

But time made it better from,
While I was away,
New friends, discovered passions,
Better, stronger, faster,
A bionic heart.

And now I see the gift from,
While I was away,
Smiling at bittersweet memories,
Grateful for love, passion, creativity,
Proud of battle scars.