The Letter ( All rights reserved )
Michael Gilheany 1967 (Long Island, NY)
The letter
What an unpleasant device.
Before opening I always think twice.
What the f*ck is in there ?
The intentions are rarely clear.
When thee is a sign
no matter how benign
It often masks something
far more malignant.
What to do ?
Perhaps I'll let it stew,
for a week or two,
Right over there on the desk.
I do believe it is best.
Maybe they want me at the court
Or they're trying to sell time shares at some resort.
Either way I'm not buying and will instead
Put up the pretense of denying
A letter has even arrived.
Imagine my surprise upon seeing it again.
Like an old friend or were we enemies ?
My mind is not what it use to be.
Best to beware and take care
For we know not what is in there.
There was one I opened and never read.
Someone did, " The words would hurt you. "
is all he said
So I put it away and steel myself for another day.
When I would read the words my father had to tell.
It was the letter he wrote after my mother's funeral.
His last statement to me before his final demise.
Now here's the surprise.
It was in a bag I hung on a chair.
When I turned around it was not their.
Was I spared ?
About this poem
You never know what is in there.
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Written on October 10, 2017
Submitted by michaelgilheany on February 19, 2023
Modified by michaelgilheany on February 19, 2023
- 1:18 min read
- 9 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XAAB XCCDX EEEXX FFGDX XXXBB GEGXXX HHBBX |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,128 |
Words | 260 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 5 |
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"The Letter ( All rights reserved )" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/151957/the-letter---(-all-rights-reserved-)>.
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