The Pygmy Giant

by Alice Carrington

You told me we’d be together
When we’re old and our house is quiet
We would take off and see the world
And live our lives over again

You told me you could imagine
Seeing grandchildren born
Sleepless nights of excitement
Where we’d sit side by side and grin

You told me how it might feel
When we eventually get our time back
Children grown and gone their own way
How it would be just us, like at the start

You told me you’d be beside me
For degrees and graduations
For proud moments
And photographs

You told me we’d be ready
For our latest grand adventure
Journey miles to new ground
With car seats and water wings

You told me one day we’d be married
With family and friends and cake
One day just for you and me
A day for being selfish

You told me it would all be ok
As we sat together in front of our fire
Winter gales pounded the trees
While we waited, warmed by mulled wine

You told me you’d be there with me
To see Spring erupt after the Winter
The bright daffodil buds bursting through the mud
And bluebells flooding the woods

You told me you didn’t want to leave me
But that there was nothing I could do
You told me it would all be fine
And that I wasn’t to grieve too long

I tell you how my life is changed and unmoving
How I think of you
The late Summer sun is splitting the clouds
And our house is quiet.

Alice Carrington is working on a screenplay…