A Life of Nothing Much

He came on home to an empty house

In the early morning chill,

The one he’d left when his blood was up

And he’d bent her to his will.

Harsh words had passed at the very last

When he stormed on out the door,

But now the silence seemed so vast

That his heart dropped to the floor.

 

There wasn’t a light in the passageway,

There wasn’t a light on the stair,

He crept on up to the bedroom

Only to find she wasn’t there.

Her clothes were gone from the cabinet,

Her shoes were not by the bed,

He sat hard down on the mattress

Next to the note she’d left, that said:

 

‘I knew that it had to come to this,

And you must have known it too,

This marriage has never brought us bliss

As marriages ought to do,

I tried to be a devoted wife

To support your dreams, and such,

But all it brought was despair and strife

And a life of nothing much.’

 

A tear rolled suddenly down his cheek

And he brushed it quickly away,

He didn’t want to be seen as weak

When he ventured out in the day,

Her words had cut to the very quick

For he knew she’d spoken the truth,

A wave of misery made him sick

As he softly cried, ‘Oh, Ruth!’

 

This wasn’t the way he’d planned his life,

This wasn’t the way at all,

He’d met her under the coloured lights

In the barn of a country ball,

The moment he’d looked into those eyes,

And smelt the scent of her hair,

He’d whirled her into another life,

One that she said she’d share.

 

But none of his dreams had come to pass,

His heart and his mind were spent,

He cursed himself in the looking glass

And struggled to pay the rent.

His heart grew bitter as time went on

And he took it out on her,

And she had wept as her husband slept,

It seemed to be so unfair.

 

He went downstairs to the bureau,

Raised the lid, and picked up a pen,

He wanted to write some final words

To the love that he had, back when:

‘Just know that I’ve always loved you, Ruth,

Though I’m bitter, and out of touch,

I know that I failed, and that’s the truth

In a life of nothing much.’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[BlackRose]

Aaawe, heartbreaking. And is similar to my past. So sad when one goes to the point to where the other as had enough and leaves for good. But as with mine a wonderful new life came out of it, a new and better man all around. :o) For better or worse, but not for hurt, pain and maybe abuse time and time again.

[Tate Morgan]

Truth is a wicked task master But we have to face it now and then to get our bearings

[Ravyne Hawke]

Awww this one is heartbreaking! It's sad how time and life's circumstances change marriages.. of this, I can relate

[Cryingkate]

I have seen, so much of this
And have even, lived it too
Attest I do, I can declare
There's another story too

The story of how, Love's no worry"
For his bark, is less then his bite
When love is understanding
There really is no fight

Cause when the barking starts
She knows in her heart
Love is well,the world is right
Cause barkings not a bite.

Love your story Mr Paget, It is something special to my heart.
Beautifully crafted as always.

[TPK Stories]

Such a sad tale. Too sad that the couple couldn't find it in themselves to support each other the way a husband and wife should. Great write.

[Lyn Anderson]

This poem tells the sad but often true story of marriage. Beautiful and seemingly effortless rhyme.

[Lena M. P.]

That wrenched at my heart. Such a sad tale and one repeated too often. For a marriage to work, BOTH must work towards their dreams. They are each given the present of life and together, with each others support, they can make it or be strong if ones dreams fail. This was a sad story of one who forgot his love as he climbed for his dreams and when they failed, so did his marriage.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A truly saddened theme emerges great within this piece, well done, good read.

[Marie]

This is a sad story. Sometimes marriages fail. But perhaps, if he loved Ruth, he should have shown it more.