HAVE YOU SEEN MY WIFE?

... one man's story in the form of a simple question.

Have you seen my wife?

Boys, now ain’t she fine?

Keep it in your pants, now son.

That little girl is mine …

 

Have you seen my wife?

Running to catch the bus?

Baby girl works so hard

Takin’ care o’ the both of us.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Poked all out to here?

Yeah, we’re making babies.

Have one every year.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Which way d’ja see her go?

Oh,… about my friend here …

She don’t need to know.

 

Have you seen my wife?

I know they brought her here.

She fell and hurt herself

I think on the bottom stair.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Tell her please come back.

And bring back home the children.

I’ll even help unpack.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Mama’s out all the time …

We’ve got some extra money.

‘Cause I worked overtime.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Oh, she got off at three?

How come she didn’t call?

She’s … s’posed to wait … for me

 

 

Have you seen my wife?

Running to meetings and such?

She’s so busy, that girl

‘Til I never see her much.

 

Has anybody here seen that dear wife of mine,

Who used to be so loving, so sweet and so kind?

I wish that I had always known what I know today

Back when I didn’t treat her right, one day I would pay.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Have you seen my wife?

Yes, I’m wiser, now, but so old,

I’ve led a wasted life.

 

Have you seen my wife?

I thought she’d come by two.

After lunch, before rush-hour

Was what I thought she’d do.

 

Have you seen my wife?

And when can I leave here?

Seems I’m always waiting

Like maybe she don’t care.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Oh, look, here comes my son.

He won’t spend no time with me,

He’s always on the run.

 

Have you seen my wife?

Oh, it’s time to take my rest?

Bathe first, then take my meds.

Clutch her picture to my chest.

 

Have you seen my wife?

There’s something I should know?

You’re tired of hearing me ask?

What? She died … twelve years ago?

 

Have you seen my wife?

Have you seen my wife?

You know how much I need her.

Has anybody here seen my wife?

 

 

1/15/10

 

 

Reviews

[Yellow Butterfly]

Maybe, 'she' was right beside 'him' all along and 'he' couldn't see 'her' because "taking her for granted" was blocking his view.

This is a beautiful and poignant write!

[rt farris]

i read your works and enjoy them immensely. there's an old cliche that captures this, "you don't miss your water til your well runs dry." lol

[Nishant Gupta]

nice one do read mine too "QUEST OF LIFE".

[KAREN]

This is a excellent write of yearning and longing for something you want back so bad, but in the end it's too late.

[Birdman313]

I felt that one it hit home real deep ..... awesome just awesome

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Doug, this is heartbreaking. I love this one. Such a sad truth penned here. XX

[Deeply Daisy]

really lovely. great sense of timing and poise. almost had a twist at the end. Love how you can tell a whole story in all its tragedy and beauty in one poem. love it.

[Ladysue]

Oh what a blues song this turned out to be. So sad and moving, but written beautifully with great rhythm... awesome...

[Dutch Jr.]

Very nicely done, and it does have that 50s-60s blues swing in the rhythm.

"Keep it in your pants, now son"

My favorite line. Lots of colloquial wittiness in this poem. I'm a fan of your poetry mainly because I can relate to it, and I know people who talk like this... lol. Great job.

[jenniewren (J.W. Bouwma..]

mmmhmmmm this is one helluva blues song.. it needs be sung by Robert Johnson. i could hear his strong (yet strangely vulnerable) tones mournfully belting this out..

man. this is just good. normally i'm more hmm "professional", or at least attempt to be, when i read someone else's work.. but this is just beyond that.
damn what a great song this would be..